There Aint No Rest For The Wicked
by krissyg927
Summary: Caryl- Carol and Daryl meet online.
1. Chapter 1

_**This is something I was playing with, I got a nice message on Tumblr about my older Carol/younger Daryl fictions so, I got to work on it. So what would happen if Carol and Daryl met on Tumblr? Let me know what you think xoxox Krissy**_

Sophia said it would be fun, and that all the kids were doing it. Carol wasn't convinced that it was a good idea for her though, she wasn't a kid. Sometimes, bless her heart, Sophia forgot that her mother wasn't one of her friends and damn that was a such blessing.

They were as close as close could be and Carol was grateful, even if Sophia got her involved in things sometimes that were way out of her comfort zone. This was the age where kids were pulling away, but Sophia wanted to be with Carol more and more.

That made her heart sing, Carol had done it right, her fourteen-year-old wanted to do things with her mother and include her in he life. Carol knew why, or at least she thought she did. But she also knew that she had worked hard raising Sophia and giving her everything she didn't have as a child.

Carol was raised by emotionally indifferent parents and although to her horror she had married just the same kind of person, she didn't fail Sophia. Her beautiful girl was emotionally well adjusted and happy and she loved to be with her mother.

That made Carol so happy and made the years of suffering with Ed worth it. It was worth it all.

They had a bad year, both of them and that was part of it, Carol knew that. This was how Carol ended up with a blog. She hadn't had the heart to say no to Sophia when she asked to make Carol one. Sophia knew her mother was a writer and she knew her father had burned all of her poems and stories that night they left.

The girl wanted her mother to write and be happy again, having been into fandoms and fanfiction, Sophia knew her mother would love Tumblr.

Sophia had been doing it since she was younger, and as her mother of course Carol knew all about it, knew that and she and her friends were always on the internet. Carol should have known right from the jump that she was out of her element though, and now it was too late.

Sophia had set her up on Tumblr and now she had a blog dedicated to what she loved most, after Sophia of course. Carol's Grunge and Doc Martens was the name of her blog where she was free to worship Eddie Vedder, Kurt Cobain and all of her TV shows that she loved. She wrote poems sometimes too and posted them, a forgotten love that Ed didn't hesitate to tell her was worthless.

He had been wrong about everything and he would die if he knew she was actually putting her work out there for people to read. Secretly she hoped somehow he knew. She wanted him to know that he hadn't beaten it out of her and he hadn't killed her talent.

So Tumblr changed her and made her brave.

It was freeing and she met so many cool people from the fandom's she was involved in, from all over the world. She was involved in several writing groups and chatted with people all of the time. And there were two really special people in particular that she never would have met if she didn't go on Tumblr.

As much as she had feared change it had changed her too.

As a child of the nineties, when music was good and life was easy, Carol had trouble releasing her younger days from memory. There were no cellphones or Twitter the, but life certainly went on didn't it?

This annoying Tumblr thingy made it easy to remember days gone by and a life that was once so full of hope. Before her life was turned upside down.

The internet was new back then and now it was so different. There were so many ways to communicate with people. Sophia always said it was time she caught up to the real world. In some ways Carol agreed with her, in others she didn't.

At thirty-five and with a teen age daughter, she didn't think she had any business being on Tumblr or Twitter but here she was.

She could never say no to Sophia, now that it was just them. They were free and no Ed to tell them no about everything and anything, and so she allowed Sophia to put her on the internet.

Even at fourteen Sophia thought her Mom was the coolest thing ever, with her tattoos and pierced tongue, but in reality Carol felt used up. Her marriage to Sophia's father that they both nearly lost their lives in had worn her down. Carol's ex was a cruel, cruel man and he was somebody else's problem now.

Ed was remarried to the dispatcher for the police department of their old town. She moved into Carol's old house two months after Carol and Sophia ran in the middle of the night. They ran for their lives that night, away from one of his rages.

Clearly, Ed knew Kelly before Carol had left but he denied it over and over again. They met on E Harmony, he said, after Carol left, which was pretty convenient, and Carol didn't believe that for a minute. Frankly Carol was glad to be rid of him anyway and with a new wife to keep happy, he had no time to bother them, and that was just fine. As soon as he was out of their lives Carol started getting the tattoos and piercings he had always forbid.

She started to wake up and live again.

Sophia had blossomed into a beautiful girl when they were out from under Ed's thumb. They both had actually. But Tumblr, at her age, she just wasn't feeling it.

Still with her earphones on and Soundgarden and Pearl Jam playing she jumped feet first into the internet. She just wanted to do something different for once and this was different alright. Soon she met a lot of people, other fans of her bands and writers, and she had made a really good friend in Canada. That was a wonderful perk as far as she was concerned and they spent most of the day talking via email, when Carol wasn't teaching class.

The internet was an incredible thing now, but there were times she was very happy she had parental controls on what Sophia could do.

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There were far too many men on Twitter sending out pictures of their junk, and she disabled that feature on Sophia's and her account, no Dm's period. Still people she didn't even know followed her and gave her shout outs. It had to be the avi of Harley Quinn that her bestie, Teagan in Canada had made for her.

Harley Quinn was hot as fuck, Carol knew that. She was everything Carol thought she wasn't, really. Maybe Harley was what she aspired to be, someday. Carol wasn't sure where the DC villain worship fit into her life, but she didn't need to figure it all out in one day either.

She just always loved her and now Sophia did too, and the countdown was over, they were going to the movie tonight. They had been waiting forever it seemed. They were going to have a blast too. There was so much to look forward to now.

It had to have been the picture that drew him in, and maybe one day she would ask him. Daryl sent her a tweet making fun of an apple music link she posted for Sex Type Thing by The Stone Temple Pilots. Of course he hadn't known who they were, he was almost ten years younger than her.

Carol was highly offended and told him to go to hell and get better taste in music on the way down. And that was how she came to meet a gamer who was quite a bit younger than her.

He played the games Sophia and her friends played, COD, Left for Dead and Bio-shock and at first she thought he was some teenage twitter whore, but he wasn't. He was indeed twenty-seven, like he told her and he lived in Georgia, which might as well have been the moon. It was ironic that two years ago Carol had lived an hour away from him and now they were sixteen hours apart.

That was probably a good thing, because this was the last thing Carol needed.

Carol and Sophia had relocated to upstate New York after she left Ed, the more states between them the better. She missed the ocean of Savannah, where they used to be and now she had a friend there, which she didn't have before. She found herself missing him and she didn't even know that his voice sounded like.


	2. Chapter 2

Ed had never let her have friends and she was a prisoner in their house, when they were together. Now she had two friends and they were both so far away from her. She and Teagan communicated often and it was like they were there in the same room sometimes, but they weren't.

Still they were the best of friends and Carol was so grateful to have her in her life. They proofread each other's stories and poems and worked on things together too, proof that you could have a best friend no matter how far away they were.

She had told her all about Ed, and really no one else knew about it except her friend Maggie from next door. But Maggie and her husband Glenn had three little babies, so not much time to socialize at all. She couldn't tell Rick and Lori, who lived across the street, they had the perfect marriage and she just didn't know if they would relate.

Sometimes she couldn't even relate to her own story, it was like it all happened to someone else. But it hadn't, it had happened to her. She met him in college and he took over her entire life. She had let him, but at the time it was insidious, he had done it slowly.

Carol's parents had died her sophomore year of college and she had been looking for someone to love, to belong somewhere and it was that simple. And she wanted children so badly, lots of children, until she realized who she was really married too. It was then that she knew Sophia would be her only child.

Ed was a tyrant and he controlled everything from the money to her daily life. He never bothered Sophia though and she was grateful for that.

Carol had a master's degree in Nursing and he wouldn't ever let her use it. Ed insisted she stay home and he barely let her out of the house. She would never take coming and going on her own for granted now. Freedom was sweet, and it came at a terrible price.

It was all different now, she had a job she loved and her Sophia. On weekends their house was the house she always wanted it to be but Ed wouldn't allow.

All of Sophia's friends came over and they all called her Mom. Lori and Rick's kids were at her house as often as Sophia was at theirs, Sophia made friends with everyone, and Carol was getting there. First online and slowly at work she was getting to know people. Letting them know her, the real her, that Ed found so distasteful. Maggie and Lori liked her enough, she knew he was the sick one.

They were going to be alright and that was the most important thing of all. Their new life was far away from Ed and his abuse and in almost two years he hadn't tried to even see Sophia.

He would get a fight if he ever tried and Carol suspected he knew that, so he just stayed away, paid his child support and sighed in relief that Carol never pressed charges against him. He was a cop and that wouldn't have looked good at all.

That was all in the past though. Sophia was doing just fine, adjusting well and happy, and it didn't get better than that.

Carol was happier than she ever thought she could be. She had a few good friends both in real life and online, she and Sophia were safe. Life was a wonderful gift that she had been given, and she vowed to make the best of it.

She wouldn't squander one bit of it, like that song by The Struts Daryl had made her listen to.

 _I don't wanna take my time, don't wanna waste one line. I wanna live better days, never look back and say, could have been me._

Carol had to admit, it was a good song. His music wasn't all bad. Just most of it, they disagreed big time on music sometimes.

She was grading papers and working on some projects like she usually did after her classes were over and feeling so good about her life. Later she and Sophia had plans to go out and she smiled at herself at how excited Sophia was.

Three years ago they never would have been allowed to go to this midnight movie, but they were.

She sat at her desk working on some files with Tumblr running in the back ground as usual, because she wanted to post one of her poems before she went home for the day. Carol had her earbuds in and was listening to one of her favorite songs:

 _You know there aint no rest for the wicked, and money don't grow on trees, I got bills to pay I got mouths to feed, there anit nothing in this world for free._

The message on her Tumblr messenger popped up and she smiled.

~ _Hey Carol_

 _~ Hey Daryl what's up?_

 _~ Nothing, just got out of class._

 _~ You passed your Organic Chem final?_

She smiled to herself and was happy for him. He was working hard at school and he also worked at his family's garage. He had told Carol a lot about his life and she had done likewise. They had been talking online for a few months now, she knew he had a brother and a sister that he was very close to and likewise, she had told him about her life and Sophia.

 _~Yes, aced it._

 _~Good for you._

 _~Couldn't wait to tell you, thanks for suggesting that site for me._

 _~I'm glad it helped. I used it all the time in Grad school._

Carol paused and looked at her watch, it was 7pm and there was no time difference between her and Daryl, Teagan was two hours behind her. He shouldn't be home on his laptop right now; it was Friday night. He should be out.

 _~ Why aren't you out celebrating with your friends._

 _~ They're Meh, you know?_

In reality Carol had no idea what that expression meant, Sophia used it too, and it just drove home to her once again what a generation gap it was that existed between her and this man. He was a Grad student in Environmental Science and right now she was sitting in her office as a professor. She was a professor of Nursing and held her NP license, grad school was a long time ago for her. That didn't make her any better than him, just so different.

He was a young guy, still finding himself. Carol had lived half of a miserable life, but she knew what she wanted in life. She was Generation X, he was a Millennial, yet he sought her out on a daily basis and she couldn't figure it out. But as she sat at her computer in her office she couldn't help smiling, because he did make her smile. She could admit that much to herself.

 _~ So you come trolling on Tumblr for my old ass._

 _~ Stop, you aint old._

 _~ Daryl I'm old enough to be your…. older sister._

 _~ Big deal, I seen that picture you sent me, you are slamming._

Carol smiled just a little bit, she had sent him a picture and he had done the same, which was why she couldn't figure out why he wasn't beating the ladies off with a stick. He was hot, and she didn't mind saying that, although she didn't tell anyone but Teagan. It was something people that didn't go online wouldn't get. He told her that he was shy and she didn't believe that for a second, he flirted with her all the time.

~ _I'm too old for you._

 _~ No you aint._

 _~Daryl, who's Chris Cornell?_

 _~You already got me on that one, he sings with Soundgarden._

 _~And?_

 _~Audioslave._

 _~And?_

 _~And that's it._

 _~Nope or ner like you kids say._

Carol laughed to herself, even though he couldn't hear her. They were just typing back and forth through Tumblr messaging. Sometimes it felt like if she turned she might see him there next to her, but he never was.

 _~ I got it right, I know I did._

 _~ Nope, you forgot Temple of the Dog, with Eddie Vedder._

 _~Oh your boyfriend lol. How could I forget that unholy alliance?_

 _~You're very funny, and by that I mean, not funny at all._

 _~Ha_

They talked like this all the time and she enjoyed it, they liked the same TV shows and never lacked things to say. They sometimes spent entire nights talking about Supernatural, their favorite show. There was no denying it, he did make her happy. He made her laugh and he was safe far away, as an abuse survivor, Carol was in no way able to talk to men in real life.

But talking to him, well, that was easy.

 _ **Thank you for reading, let me know what you think xoxoxoxox Krissy**_


	3. Chapter 3

**_To the reviewer who thought this was moving slow, please don't read any of my other stories because you will be disappointed and I won't miss you. I am a smut writer, but I like to develop some sort of plot and characterization. Please don't let the door hit ya M'kay? To the anon who defended me, I love you. I love you BIG. Xoxoxox_**

Carol waited for Sophia to call her when she and her friends were ready to go get pizza. In the mean time she graded papers and chatted with Daryl. They talked almost every day now and she wondered just what the rest of his life was like.

He had told her all about his classes and his job. His father and mother were both gone and he had an older brother and a younger sister. They both kept him on his toes according to him and they were very close. He worked every day at their family business in between classes and at night he usually contacted her. She knew just about anything a person could about another.

But he was twenty-seven and she often wondered why he spent so much time online. She wondered why he never mentioned anyone else except his brother and sister. She knew he used an IPhone like she did, so maybe he was out and just texted a lot like everyone seemed to do nowadays.

 _~ Why aren't you out with a girl your age right now, Daryl?_

 _~ Cause I'm not, did you get the audio I sent? Imagine Dragons._

 _~You call that music? There's a band called Coldplay, just like those guys._

 _~ Never heard of them._

 _~ Come on, really?_

 _~ Joking…_

She wondered if he was joking or if he really didn't know who Coldplay was. They had a huge music gap, but other things they were right on point about. Still she was smiling wide talking, or typing to him in her office. He was her friend and even if it was unconventional, she wasn't giving him up. Still, she worried about him, he didn't seem to have much of a life.

~ _I liked them._

 _~I knew you would._

 _~ How far are you in Bio-shock, Soph asked me to ask you._

 _~ Not far enough, she's still ahead of me._

 _~She wants to play you on x box live, I told her it's fine._

 _~ Lol, she'll kick my ass...so I was creeping your blog._

 _~Yes._

 _~I see you got your candy finally._

Teagan had sent her a huge bag of her new favorite candy from Canada, it was called coffee crisp and Carol could not stop eating it. She was now addicted to a candy that she couldn't get in her own country. That kind of sucked, but lucky for her she had a bestie that sent it to her often.

 _~ Yes, she sent me so much of it, I've been eating it all day._

 _~ Good I'm glad ya got it. I know you were jonesing_

 _~ I'm eating it right now, I already dusted one bag of it._

He laughed from his seat in the office of the garage, Merle was out in the bay and was going to be looking for him soon to help close up. This woman made him smile, he wasn't good in real life with women. He was always so shy, he didn't like people touching him and barely tolerated it from his siblings.

They had all had a hard childhood, that kind of connected him to Carol in his mind, he knew about her marriage and how it had been.

 _~You still going tonight?_

 _~Nothing can keep me from it, I've been waiting for this for a year and a half._

 _~ I know; I'm going to see it with Tara. She likes Harley Quinn too._

 _~I think I would like your sister, Daryl._

 _~I know you would. You'd like Merle too once you got over his loud mouth._

 _~I bet he's just like you._

Daryl grinned to himself. 'Then you would be wrong' he thought to himself. Merle was an entity unto himself, a force to be reckoned with. Where Daryl was painfully shy and skittish Merle was loud and proud. Abuse manifested itself in different ways, in different people. They had both protected their sister though and no one had ever touched her. She was the baby and the bright light in both their lives.

Tara kept him grounded and pushed him to do things in life, that he might have been afraid to try. She believed in him. If it wasn't for her he would have never gone to college, she pushed and pushed until he agreed and now he was on his way to a master's degree.

~He's ok.

~I'm sure.

 _~Maggie going with you._

He knew the personal things in her life, who her girlfriends were. He knew her favorite band was Pearl Jam and that she hated mayonnaise. He knew she put pickles on everything she ate. She knew that he loved pizza more than almost anything

 _~Of course, Maggie, Glenn, Soph and the neighbor kids._

 _~You need a minivan._

 _~No way, Christine is all I need. They're call pooling in Lori's minivan._

 _~I can't believe you love that broken down Jag so much._

 _~I've had Christine longer than I've had Sophia._

Carol's phone buzzed and she knew it was Sophia, she reached for it and texted her back. Sophia, Carl and Judith wanted to go to the midnight showing of the movie tonight. They had all been waiting for Suicide Squad to come out and tonight was the night.

 _~ Daryl I have to go; Sophia needs a ride._

 _~Ok, message me later, I wish we were seeing Suicide Squad together._

 _~Oh, you are so sweet, me too. Bye Daryl._

 _~By Carol. Ttyl._

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The kids all piled in the back of Carol's car that night and she had Carl and Judith for the night so that Lori and Rick could go away for the weekend. This weekend had been planned for a long time, they were going for pizza and then the midnight showing in the Imax theater.

The kids were giggling and laughing in the back seat of Carol's 1992 Jag XJ6 and she had her music on. The kids still sung along with her to her songs and she knew that soon that would change, but tonight, they still loved what she loved. Tonight they sang 'Alive' by Pearl Jam with her and they were all glad they were alive.

She had the life she always wanted and that song was her anthem as they drove down the street to the movie, with the windows down on a warm fall night.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note

Well here we go again, doesn't anyone know the saying; If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all? Say what you mean, mean what you say, but don't say it mean? I suppose not, and as usual it's a guest anon.

Thank you guest for not giving me the chance to answer you privately, so now I have to do it this way.

It's nice that you remember all those details from past stories, I love to be in people's brains…Muahahahahaha.

However, you are rude. These are small details, that are really not significant to the story you were talking about or, any story at all that I have written.

I am not sorry for these details because I believe they assist me in telling my story, and at least I put my name to it.

Guest, you forgot my gratuitous mentions of my favorite bands, and my obsession with Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell that permeates my fictions. I also dig Trent Reznor, and Kurt Cobain, may he rest in peace. I hope you can stand it. Actually I don't care, this is my fictional world, leave my sandbox right now. Don't drag me and expect me not to react, because I'm a Jersey girl.

I happen to drive a Jag, and or a Jeep at times and I love Harley Quinn. As a writer I write what I know, but it is always a different story. These are brief mentions in a fiction of over 5000, words currently. Not to mention the 47 other stories I have written, always a brief mention or two. I don't go on and on about the cars and Harley as much as I want to. Well except Acrimony and Malice, there's way too much Harley Quinn in that story. I adore her what can I say? Don't read that one whatever you do J

Yes, I am counting down to Suicide Squad, I am excited about it and write about that fact often. Have you seen the trailer? It's going to be epic!

But again, such small details to nit-pick about, I wonder why you even bother.

I mean really, I write such a wide variety of things, from bondage to phone sex to teen pregnancy to sweet fluffy love stories and you get stuck on the type of car (Jag XJ6 1992, in case you forgot, hehehe). I also talk about pizza way too much too, ah, whatever.

I also drive a Jeep and a few of my OC's do too, when I decide not to use the Jag. I just didn't see my OC character from the kink show of my story Transitions driving a VW, you know? She drove a Porsche 911 Targa 1985, it fit her and her lifestyle.

I look at my characters and choose their vehicle according to my tastes, because at the end of the day, it is MY story. Someday I'll have that Porsche too!

Anyway, thanks for staying on anon and forcing me to address this publicly, high five.

To all the wonderful readers who leave me heartfelt and thoughtful reviews, I love you all. I save every single review I get from the one word 'Like' to the long dissertations, they make my day. Please keep making my day.

Also, to anyone who says I don't like constructive criticism, that's not true I do, as long as people aren't dicks about it, be nice or leave me alone.

To my best friend Teagan, I love you and couldn't do this without you. Thank you for always having my back and know I have yours. Xoxoxox.

Now on with the next chapter.

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"Boo" Tara said as she snuck up on Daryl while he was saying goodbye to Carol. "Whatcha doin, brother?"

She said walking around the desk to look over his shoulder and be an annoying little sister. She was good at it sometimes, but her brothers loved her and thought the sun rose and set over her.

"Nothing." He answered too quickly, she really had startled him and now he was flustered. Tara was not going to let that go easily.

"Right." She nodded. "That your online girlfriend again."

"Aint a girlfriend." He said blushing and looking down at his phone. That wasn't the first time Tara had seen that particular behavior. He smiled and laughed at his phone a lot and she wanted to know why. He didn't smile much and she loved seeing it.

"Oh, is it a guy? Cause I thought I was the gay one." She laughed, ruffling his hair.

"It's a girl." He answered and then realized his baby sister just tricked him. Tara gave him the ah ha look and grinned at him.

"What's her name?"

He blushed wildly and Tara smiled. "Carol, she lives far away though."

"Big deal, I see you smiling at your phone sometimes." Tara said. "It's cute."

Daryl swiped his phone and smiled at his sister, he could never keep a secret from her, nor would he want to. She was just ten months younger than Daryl, Irish twins, as people would say when they were little. They were close, even closer than they were with Merle, who was five years older than Daryl and six years older than Tara.

Their father had wanted a girl, and he never laid a hand on her, but the boys? Well, they weren't so lucky, that was over now and dealt with, but Tara worried about him. He couldn't connect with people, and he didn't even try. She knew her parents had fucked him and Merle up.

It hurt her heart.

Tara had escaped that, because she was the girl. She felt guilty about that for a long time and worried constantly about her brother's well-being, especially Daryl.

"Marcy was asking about you." Tara said as they walked out towards the bay where Merle was cleaning up. Marcy had been chasing him for years and he didn't want to get caught, he avoided her and most girls.

"You tell her I aint interested." He sighed. "Again."

"Uh huh brother that's on you." Tara said. "But I got to ask."

He nodded. "Go ahead."

"She's fucking hot, why aren't you interested."

"Sounds like you are." He quirked a brow at her and she shrugged, in her maybe way of communicating. Tara shrugged when she didn't know how she felt about something, Daryl knew her well enough to know her tells. Daryl pointed to his head. "Ever try to have a conversation with her? Ask her about books? She aint got nothing to offer in the way of conversation."

"That what you're looking for? Conversation? You need to be attracted to a woman's mind hmm?" She looked over at him. "It's cool, I get it."

"Just not the first thing you think of right?" He bumped her shoulder and Tara giggled.

"Maybe we should go out looking for chicks sometime together, you take the nerds and I'll take the bombshells." She teased.

"Who are you kidding, you're a nerd girl, I seen you macking on that new doctor." Daryl replied. "He's gonna miss going out hunting for pussy with you." He said pointing at Merle.

"Shhhh." Tara said. "We have a date tomorrow, don't jinx me."

Merle stood up from the work bench as they came towards him. "Hey you two want to get pizza before yall's movie?"

"Sure." They answered in unison.

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Daryl and Tara still got an extra-large popcorn and diet coke even though they had devoured a huge pepperoni pizza with Merle just hours before. They found seats in the theater and Daryl took out his phone to send a quick text to Carol to wish her and Sophia a good time.

~Hope you and Sophia have a great time.

~We will, you and Tara too.

Tara leaned over towards him and whispered.

"Who's Sophia?"

"Her daughter ok, shhhh."

"Wait, she has a kid? One that can stay up till midnight?" Tara asked shoving popcorn in her mouth.

Daryl nodded. This conversation was going downhill fast; and he knew it but he couldn't stop it. It was like dominos falling one after the other and this was how it always was with his sister. They were extremely close and kept few secrets, she always got the information out of him eventually.

"How old is she?" Tara asked.

"She's fourteen."

"Not, the kid, your girl?" Tara laughed.

"She aint my girl and she's thirty-five." Daryl hissed in the darkness of the theater. "Ok, ya happy now."

Tara nodded. "Now I get it…"

"Get what? "

"You like em older." She pointed to him with a grin. "That's cool, and explains a lot."

"It don't explain shit." He said, but he was laughing. Tara understood him better than any other person on the planet.

"Look, we are all into what we're into and we can't change that. It's how we're wired and I say go for it, life is too short not to have your heart's desire."

"She lives in New York state." He said.

"Like that should stop you." Tara said as the lights flashed and the movie started. They both dug in the popcorn and watched the movie.

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The next day was Saturday and Daryl slept in, when he finally got up Tara and Merle were already in the kitchen eating breakfast. When he walked in scratching his lower back Merle kicked a chair out for him to sit in and pushed a cup of coffee towards him.

"Your hair is a disaster brother and its almost two o'clock." He laughed and elbowed Tara.

"Leave him be Merle, we were out late."

"Yeah and I see neither of you got lucky as per usual." Merle cackled, in his usual style, that was all in fun and the three of them knew it.

"I see you came home alone too." Tara grinned, putting a piece of bacon in her mouth. "As per usual."

Merle yanked the last of it out of her hand and ate it as he laughed. "Guess we need to all go out tonight, what do ya say?"

"Think I'll pass." Daryl ducked his head and took a sip of his coffee.

Merle turned to Tara. "You wanna go?"

"I have a date tonight."

"Well, fine then, you're it Daryl." He pointed to his brother. "You need to get laid anyway."

"No." He said. "I really don't."

"Tough, we're going out tonight, just you and me."

Daryl looked over at Tara and she shrugged. "I have an X Box thing tonight."

Merle ignored Daryl and kept talking.

"We'll go to Dale's; you bring your girl over there for a drink with us too Tara." He said waving his coffee cup at her. "Fuck that X Box Daryl, you spend too much time playing video games and fucking around on your phone."

"Yes because what she really needs is to meet my family on the first date." Tara said trying to

"Sugar, I got to make sure she's good enough for my baby sister."

"Merle I'm not sixteen."

"You are to us." He replied.

"Hey, leave me out of this mess." Daryl said and Merle shot him a look.

"You're coming out tonight Daryl, be ready by nine." Merle said and he got up from the table as if that would finish the conversation.

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~Hey Carol, you there?

Daryl sent the message from his phone over Tumblr messenger and waited. Sometimes it took her a while to answer if she was driving or something and he also couldn't always answer her right away. It took about ten minutes but she sent a message back to him.

~I'm here, I was driving.

~Did you have fun last night?

~Yeah we did and we slept so late.

~Me too and now Merle is dragging my ass out tonight.

~Not me, I'm staying home and watching Roswell with Soph and Judith and a big tub of popcorn.

~Wish I was there.

~Go have some fun.

~You don't know my brother; I'd much rather watch you girls moon over Max then go do this lol.

~Michael, we moon over Michael.

~Of course you do.

~Thank god for Netflix right?

~Message me later so I don't lose my mind.

~Nope, you go out and have a good time. Talk tomorrow ok?

~I might need to talk tonight.

~I'll answer if you do.


	5. Chapter 5

**_A/N: I love you anon, you spend so much time thinking about me, but it will never work between us. Let's just keep it a nice memory that when we're old and grey we can remember each other. Xoxoxox Krissy. Thank you to all my regular and new reviewers, I love you all xoxoxox. Thank you Teagan for always being there 100%. I am there for you too xoxoxoxox._**

By midnight Sophia, Carol and Judith had watched eleven episodes of 'Roswell' and they weren't stopping. It might take them three days but they were going to binge watch this, again. They sat on the couch with the popcorn bowel between them and their feet all up on the coffee table. Carol held this show up as one of her top five of all time. She liked sci fi and Sophia was just the same.

Judith was with them for the weekend and Carl was at his friend Travis' house so they had all weekend to do this and that was the plan.

They were all in their pajamas and they were giggling and calling out to the TV while watching their show. Sometimes things didn't go the way they liked on the TV shows they watched, but they enjoyed them just the same. Sometimes they did a lot of yelling, especially on this particular show.

It was so up and down and they both adored it. Carol told Daryl about it but aliens weren't his thing, but he loved 'Supernatural'.

Carol had watched 'Roswell' when she was a kid and she and Sophia watched it often now. They also watched 'Supernatural' and 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer.' This was just one of the many things they shared together and were able to do now that they were free.

This was another thing Ed would never have allowed. Spending a weekend in your pajamas, eating junk food and watching TV? Carol would have caught a beating for that for sure. She didn't think about that now though, that was over.

"Carol, what's with Michael and Maria, don't they know they belong together?" Judith asked.

"Because it's good drama." Sophia answered taking a sip of her soda. "It gets worse just you wait, Tess isn't here yet, just wait till she shows up."

"Is she going to mess them up?" Judith asked.

"Not them…" Carol said.

"Well; I'm shipping it." Judith replied.

"Join the club, I've been shipping it since he stole her car." Sophia said with a grin. "Mom, we got to get her into Buffy too, we ship, Buffy and Spike, you got that Jude, Buffy and Spike."

"Got it." Judith replied. "Buffy and Spike. My Mom liked that show I remember her talking about it a few times."

"Good." Carol said. "Next time she can come watch with us."

On the table next to her Carol's phone buzzed, and it startled all three of them.

"Mom?" Sophia said as Carol grabbed her phone. "Who's texting you this late."

Carol grabbed for her phone and swiped it, and as she thought it was Daryl. She smiled a little but was also sad for him that he wasn't out having fun. He was young with no children; he should be out living life. Yet he tethered himself to her by the phone, and they had just talked a few hours ago. She never had a single life where she only had to worry about herself. It was unthinkable to her that he was not out chasing girls his own age.

"It's Daryl."

"Who's Daryl?" Judith asked.

"Mom's boyfriend in Georgia" Sophia said laughing. "He's the Bio-shock guy I told you about."

Carol stared down at her phone telling the girls that he wasn't her boyfriend. But his text made her feel like he was. She had recently found out there was a conference in Atlanta for her work in a month. It was a workshop for Nursing professors and she would be there for a weekend.

Part of her wanted to tell him and see if they could meet up, but another part wanted to just sneak in and out of Georgia and never tell him she was there. Because she knew if he found out he would definitely ask to see her.

~I just miss you Carol.

If he missed her now, and they hadn't even met yet? She was afraid of what would happen if they met in person. Not just for him, but for her too. She liked him, even if she thought he was too young for her. She just wished he would find a girlfriend his own age, and make the decision for her, but that was the cowards way and she wasn't that. Not since she punched her ex-husband in the face for burning her stories and ran for the hills with Sophia.

She would have to tell him if she was going to back off, or if she was going to want to meet in person. He had said on more than one occasion that he wanted to meet her. It was she who dragged her feet.

"Why is he texting this late?"

"He's out with his brother, probably bored."

Carol looked down at her phone and replied to him.

~Hey Daryl, what are you doing?

~Sitting at the bar watching Merle trying to pick up floozies.

~Sounds like fun.

~Nope. Trust me it's not.

Carol sighed. He needed to put himself out there, he was a good looking guy. But he chose to sit at a bar typing on his phone to her, almost a thousand miles away. He deliberately closed himself off like that and Carol thought maybe she should stop answering his messages, for his own good.

~It's horrible lol.

~You said your brother is popular with the girls.

~Oh, he is.

~And you. I bet you are too.

~Not so much.

~You should try Daryl, flash that smile around, see what happens.

~Why would I want to do that?

Carol sighed again, she was being selfish, by continuing to pursue this with him, she was keeping him from living his life.

~Because you aren't going to get anywhere sitting there with your head buried in your phone.

~Maybe that's just how I'm getting to be where I wanna be, ever think about that?

She stopped and looked over at the girls who were still involved with the show. She got up and walked into the kitchen to get a drink of iced tea and took it outside on her deck. Carol lit a candle that was in the middle of the table and turned on the Christmas lights that she had rigged up out there.

This was her happy place, where she sat and read and talked to him by message sometimes. She relaxed into her surroundings, sitting at the table and looking around at the yard. It was bathed in a warm yellow glow from the lights.

~Are you drunk?

~Yes, and before you even say it, we walked here.

~I wasn't going to say a thing, you're a grown man Daryl, and I know you aren't stupid.

~So you don't think of me as a kid then?

~No, I don't.

~Can I call you?


	6. Chapter 6

**_A/N: Props to my girl Rambles and Shambles for giving me an idea. If you haven't read her stuff go do it now, she has one of the best imaginations I know. Thanks cookie xoxxox, Many thanks to my bestie Magenta's Nightmare for proofing for me and being my cheerleader, I love you girl. Go read her stuff, it's the best out there._**

~Isn't it bad enough you're drunk texting me? LOL

~I want to hear your voice.

~You won't remember in the morning.

~Oh trust me. I will.

Tara ran up next to him and sat down on a bar stool followed by Denise and they were holding hands. Their date was going very well and they were already planning another, Daryl hadn't see Tara smile this much in ages, it was nice. The bar tender Axel was pouring three shots as Daryl was texting Carol. Tara peered over at him and because he had a few he couldn't tell what she was doing.

"Who ya texting Dar…" She said getting closer to him. "Your girl?"

She handed him his shot and she, Denise and Daryl drank them down as they talked.

"He has a girl?" Denise said with a slight slur to her voice. "Where is she?" She looked around the bar, Merle was over in the pool room laughing it up with some blonde. There were a few other girls around but no one interested in him at the moment that Denise could see.

"New York." He grumbled and Tara grinned. "He's drunk texting her."

"Trying to drunk call her but she ain't letting me."

"Gimme that." Tara grabbed his phone and he was too buzzed to fight her for it. Tara started typing wildly on the screen. Then she looked at the reply and then she texted back.

"Ok, she sent her number over the messenger, you can call her?" Tara said and handed him back her phone.

"What did you say to her?" He laughed.

"Go ahead and look." Tara grinned and pointed to the phone.

Daryl looked and then his face got red and it spread from his neck to his ears. Denise looked over from where she sat next to Tara.

"You are awful." He said. "What's she gonna think now?"

"Really, you aren't trying to get with her? I don't believe that for a second." Tara rolled her eyes.

"But, did you have to say something so…"

"Its beautiful and she loved it." Tara replied.

"It is, but…"

"Got your ass in the door though, didn't I?" She held her drink up to him and smiled. "Now get out there and call her."

He nodded and got up to go outside and Denise turned to Tara.

"Did you type something risqué, Tara." She smiled.

"I typed the first five lines of an ee cummings poem."

"I carry your heart?" Denise asked.

"No." Tara said laughing. "I like my body."

Denise's eye went wide. "You are evil."

"Hey, it worked didn't it, no woman can resist ee cummings." Tara said.

"Is that so?" Denise asked as Tara leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"Yup."

Just at that moment Merle was upon them and putting an arm around each of them. He pulled each of them against his broad shoulders and kissed Tara on the cheek. Then he kissed Denise's cheek too.

"We getting loaded tonight ladies?" He said smiling wide.

"Not so much, brother." Tara replied.

"Where's Darylina?" Merle cackled.

"He's outside making a phone call." Tara said and Merle rolled his eyes.

"Ya think he's finally manning up and calling that girl?"

He sat down on the stool where Daryl had been just a moment before, so he was on Tara's left and Denise was on her right.

"Ah, what girl?" Tara said slowly, she didn't know Merle knew about that.

"The one he's always texting." Merle said waving his hand dismissively. "The one from New Jersey."

"Wait, what?" Tara said.

"I might have seen his phone a time or two." He hugged Denise closer to him. "You know cause I worry about him just like you do little sister."

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Daryl leaned against the wall of the outside of the bar and lit a cigarette. He was definitely feeling good and drunk and happy. He stared down at his phone at what his sister had sent to Carol and smiled a little bit.

 _I like to feel the spine of your body and its bones, and the trembling firm smoothness and which I will again and again kiss._

His sister was insane, but he was just buzzed enough to not be embarrassed with Carol. She always made him feel like there wasn't anything wrong with him.

He took a long drag on the cigarette and dialed the number before he lost his nerve. As he waited for her to pick up he thought about hanging up. Somewhere in his alcohol addled brain was a fear of taking this further. She was older than him and so far away, but he was just buzzed enough to not listen to that voice that told him he was no good and unworthy.

He waited for her to answer with his heart in his throat, he had never felt such terror in his life.

But then he heard her voice and it was all over for him.

"Hello, Daryl?" She said softly and he could feel his heart beat speed up. She had the softest sweetest voice he had ever heard. "Daryl, are you there?"

"Yes." He answered and she smiled. He had the deepest, gravelly voice she had ever heard, it had a southern lilt to it and was so sexy. "Yes, hi Carol."

His voice sounded like honey and whiskey mixed together and she felt all of the hairs stand up on her neck. This was going to be a problem.

"It's so good to talk to you." She said against her better judgment.

"That was my sister, typing that poem to you."

"Oh I figured, I know how shy you are." She said to him. "But it is a great poem."

"Yeah it is." He replied.

"So you walked to the bar." Carol asked, always thinking of his well-being and trying not to focus on his voice too much. Or that poem, because it was hot and full of promise.

"Merle and I did, Tara is the DD, but our house is just up the street anyway." He replied and then there was silence. "We can all walk home."

Daryl did not want this to be another awkward conversation with a girl, he liked her and he wanted this so badly.

"How's Roswell?"

"Awesome as always." She grinned.

"Michael or Max?" He had googled the show earlier in the day, before they went out. He wanted to know about her and her life and he found out about how that particular fandom worked. He did a quick study of it so he could talk with her about it sometime, like right now.

"Michael of course, you never mentioned watching it Daryl."

"Oh." He took another drag of his smoke. "I didn't."

Carol took a sip of her iced tea and put her feet up on the chair in front of her. The kids were still glued to the TV and she knew they would stay there. She wasn't missing a thing; she had seen this show tons of times.

He had researched it. Just to know something else about her. That made her smile, far away from her Daryl was leaning against the building smoking and gaining confidence.

"So." He said in that voice that made her think things she maybe shouldn't think about. "What do you wanna talk about."

"It this going to be a dirty phone call?" She giggled into the phone, his voice was going to be the death of her, oh yes it was. It was making her take this somewhere she hadn't intended, but she couldn't stop it.

Daryl almost choked on his cigarette.

"Relax, I don't put out on the first date anyway." She laughed. "I was only kidding with you."

Somewhere deep inside of him Daryl pulled up some courage. "How about the second date?"

"Daryl." She smiled into the phone. "Do you want to call me back after I go to bed?"

"Maybe I should?" Daryl said, trying not to let his voice crack. This turned into something he wasn't expecting, although it was something he wanted. But he was cautious, maybe he was reading her wrong.

"We can just talk about Game of Thrones if you want, like online, or…whatever." She said looking over at the kids, who had now fallen asleep on the couch. Her room was way on the other side of the house and after she locked the sliding door, they would all be safe and secure.

She could go to her room and talk with him.

"Call me in half an hour?" She asked.

"You got it." He said grinning. "Half an hour, goodbye Carol."

"Bye Daryl." She whispered, shaking her head at herself and feeling really wicked all of the sudden. She went to the refrigerator and poured herself a glass of wine as she walked the house and locked up.

Daryl threw open the door to the bar so fast that Tara and Merle jumped in their seats.

"I'm out, I'll see you later." He called to them.

"It's early yet brother." Merle called to him. "Not even 12:30."

"Nope, I got to go." And he was gone.

Merle leaned over to Tara. "What's got his ass on fire."

Tara shrugged and took a sip of her water. "You got me."

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She turned on the Bluetooth speaker to stream music into the bathroom while she took a quick shower. Carol always needed her music and Sophia had bought her this mini speaker that synched with her phone. Sometimes Sophia would sneak in and play with her phone and stream music through the device that Carol didn't like. If she was in the shower she couldn't do much about it.

She and Sophia had that kind of playful relationship, sometimes more like sisters than mother and daughter. They were doing well and getting over the trauma they had both been through. Carol was grateful for that.

But Sophia and Judith were clear on the other side of the house from Carol and her private bathroom. She was in the middle of singing a Katy Perry song when her phone rang through the speaker.

"Shit." She said to herself as she hit the answer button, not wanting to miss his call. She got soap in her eyes but she answered anyway. "Hello Daryl."

He heard the exasperation in her voice. "Are you ok."

"I'm in the shower, I thought I had time." She said rinsing her face.

He laughed and then he felt his dick twitch at the idea she was in the shower, he was a man after all. "I called earlier than we said, I just got home."

Daryl grinned as he was crossing the living room of his house and heading towards his room. His dick was taking over for the night, and his dick didn't care that this was his good friend. His dick said mine and that was the end of it.

"Can you hold on a sec Daryl?"

"Wait, you're in the shower." He changed direction, not believing his luck and headed towards the bathroom. "You give me a second." He said putting his phone on speaker.

Carol heard him turn on the water in his bathroom and she leaned against the tile in her own shower. She grinned and shook her head, she knew where this was going and she was going to jump on the train and take the ride, even if she knew she really shouldn't. This could ruin things with them, or make them better, but there was no way to know for sure.

Then he was speaking to her again and his voice was leading her down the dark road and she went willingly, with both eyes open.

"There, now we're in the shower together." He said shucking off his clothes in record speed.

She laughed. "Yes, we are."

"You got me on speaker?" He asked. "Where's Sophia?"

"She's asleep clear on the other side of the house." Carol replied. "She won't hear."

"Ok, I'm not gonna talk loud anyway." He crooned into the phone which he had mounted in the shower by a suction cup in a waterproof case. "You ok with this?"

"More than ok." She whispered.

Jesus, he thought to himself, she really was the perfect woman. Daryl didn't really get what set his blood on fire about the fact that she was older than him, but it had always been that way. He never had any use for girls his own age and never would.

"You don't know how much I wish I was there with you right now." He said, grabbing for the soap and he heard her let out a sigh.

"What would you do, Daryl?" She asked with a slight crack to her voice. "If you were here with me?"

"I would hold you, while we stood under the water." He answered. "So closely."

She closed her eyes and tried to picture what he looked like, his dirty blonde hair wet from the water, droplets rolling down his hard chest, and she felt like her was right there with her.

"Carol?" His voice came out of the speaker. "I want to touch you so badly; will you pretend I'm touching you?"

"Yes." She whispered just loud enough for him to hear and she heard his breath catch. In his shower he was already wrapping his hand around his dick.

Carol leaned against the shower wall and in Georgia so did Daryl.

"I want to make you feel good, Carol." He groaned.

"You do." She answered quickly. "You always make me feel good."

"Touch your face, soft, that's how I would do it." He said and she did. "Then bring your hand down over your neck, all gentle alright."

Carol did as he told her and closed her eyes, letting her head hit against the wall. Daryl was sliding his soapy hands slowly over his dick, not wanting to lose it too soon.

"Now further…" He said and his voice was darker still, sending chills down her spine. "Pretend it's me touching you, I would do it just the way you like it."

"I want you Daryl." She slid her hands down over her breasts.

"I'm right here sweetheart." He said.

Carol let out a moan that went right to his balls and he felt himself getting dizzy.

"I wanna kiss you Daryl." She said getting more and more excited as her hands traveled over her body.

"Oh, I wanna kiss you too sweetheart."

Carol brought her palm over her breast and sucked in her breath. She was almost there and they just started, it had been a while since she had company for something like this and she was surprisingly aroused. It was his voice; it did things to her.

"Now lower sweetheart…" He whispered into the phone. "Please."

Daryl was aching with need and his voice was changing, getting deeper and darker. He quickened the pace as he worked his dick in the shower.

Carol slipped her fingers between her legs and he heard her sigh in pleasure.

"Carol are you wet?" He asked.

"Yes." She answered. "All for you."

"All for me." He sighed loudly.

He listened to her breathing, getting faster and faster and it was going to be his undoing. This was the most erotic thing he had ever participated in and he wanted to come so badly. But not yet, not until he heard her first.

"It's mine, tell me its mine." He pleaded, running his hand along his dick in a frenzy now.

"Yes, Daryl it's yours, it's all yours." She said, feeling the pull all over her body and the wave starting to crash over her. "Nobody else but you." She panted.

"I want you so bad Carol, tell me I can have you." Daryl groaned, trying to hold back just a little while longer.

"Yes, yes you can have all of me." She cried as the feeling completely overtook her and she slid down the wall of the shower in a puddle of sexual bliss.

"Oh God Carol, oh my fucking god." Daryl came screaming in the shower creating the loudest of echoes and right at that moment he didn't care if his sister and brother were home. Nothing mattered but her and him right now. "Fuck, goddammit, fuck."

He could hear her breathing over the phone and he struggled to get his own breathing under control.

"Carol? I gotta meet you."


	7. Chapter 7

Seven

Merle and Tara came home making a huge racket and woke Daryl out of a sound sleep a few hours later. He could hear them laughing and carrying on in the kitchen and he realized he wasn't getting back to sleep anytime soon, but it was a good deep sleep while it lasted. He actually felt well rested and he wasn't surprised at all by that.

He was sure Carol was fast asleep too, they had talked after wards and he asked to come visit her. She said she wanted to meet in person, but they would need to figure out when. They agreed that it was time and he went to sleep with dreams of her and a skipping heartbeat.

He knew he was in love. Finally, it had happened to him, when he had just about given up. He had never had any use for the girls his age with their pettiness and demanding natures. Someone like Carol was a dream come true and he didn't care where she lived, he was taking his chance with her.

He had dreamed about her.

Now he was awake and pulling a shirt over his head to go see what the hell all the noise was about. Merle and Tara rarely drank together and as he walked past his window he noticed the truck wasn't in the driveway behind Tara's Mazda. That meant Merle talked Tara into drinking and the truck was still parked at the bar. The three of them were a lot of things but they never drank and drove. They had so many memories of being in the backseat of their old man's car terrified because he was liquored up and driving.

If they drank, they walked where ever they were going.

Daryl strolled out into the kitchen and leaned on the door jamb watching the two of them cooking eggs at almost three am. It was a sight, Tara's hair was sticking up in the back and Merle looked like he had been kissing someone, there was pink lipstick all over his mouth.

Apparently he missed a lot when he left out of there like his ass was on fire, but he wouldn't change a thing. He stood there watching them until someone noticed him.

"Hungry brother?" Merle asked and Daryl nodded. Tara was trying to beat eggs without spilling them and Merle was laughing at her as he made toast. They were both plowed, there was no doubt about it.

"Where's your date Tara?" He asked. "Wasn't it going good?"

"Nope, it went just fine, we have a date for tomorrow. I mean today." She giggled tossing the eggs in the frying pan. "Did you call her?"

She pointed the spatula at him, with a look on her face that meant business and he nodded. Daryl knew how his sister was, she and Merle together always bent him to their will when they were kids. He was the youngest of the three of them and got pulled along into whatever scheme they were into at the time.

This was no different, he could feel Tara wanting to pull him into something and he would willingly go this time.

"And…"

He shrugged, might as well tell her and let her run with it. "And I wanna drive there right now to see her."

"What are ya waiting for brother, you can be there in what fourteen hours?" Merle said from his seat at the table, and Daryl swung his head around in shock.

He didn't know Merle knew about Carol.

"Yeah, I know, and you should go if this girl floats your boat that much." Merle said. "Don't think about it, just do it. It's what I would do."

Tara turned around from the stove and Daryl knew immediately he was in trouble. He knew that look, and he knew that his sister's wheels were spinning in her head. He could almost see it as the expression came over her face.

"Oh, my god." Tara ran to him. "Didn't you say she likes tulips?"

Tara gripped his t-shirt like it was a life line and shook him, her eyes bright and merry. This was happening, if she had anything to say about it. She would stick her foot up his ass until he did this, Carol was the first woman in a long time that he talked about with any feeling.

He wanted to drive fourteen hours to go meet her, and that told Tara that she was something special. She was formulating a plan even as she spoke.

"Bring her tulips, show up on her doorstep with a bunch of tulips." Tara yammered into his ear.

Daryl shook his head. "That's creepy."

"It's romantic." Tara said. "Daryl you have to." She pleaded with wide eyes. "God, it's like Sleepless in Seattle."

"Uh, no its not." Merle said, dryly. "No empire state building in this here love story."

Tara turned to Merle, giving him a death glare. "You know what I meant."

Merle shrugged. "I'm just sayin."

Tara swatted her hand at him and missed. "Whatever Merle, it's so romantic, she's gonna die." She leaned over to Daryl. "And you're going to get your brains fucked out."

"Aint about that." Daryl answered although he would be lying if he said he wasn't hoping it went that way. But that wasn't the main reason at all, it was so much more than that.

"Come on brother, you're telling me, that you would drive fourteen hours to see some woman and not try to get laid, are we even related?" Merle cackled in the way only he could.

"I'll need your car Tara. The truck won't make it." Daryl said ignoring Merle.

"Done."

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He left at four am heading north to Syracuse, there wasn't much traffic since it was early on a Sunday morning. Tara had made him a thermos full of coffee before she collapsed into bed and he drank from it as he drove. He stopped once for cigarettes and planned to drive straight through, stopping g only when he absolutely had to.

Now that he had made the decision to do this, he couldn't wait to see her. At the risk of sounding like an asshole, he was going to ask her to marry him. She would say he should be with someone his own age, but he knew that would never make him happy.

He just wanted her and no one else would do. He had known that for a long time now and he knew she felt the same. They had connected on such a deep level even before the last night on the phone. She would say yes, she had to.

Carol was still asleep when he hit the road; he would be there by seven that night if all went well, but she had no clue. He didn't text her at all that day which was unlike him, but he didn't want to stop and loose time. Plus, Tara said surprising her would blow her away and that was what he wanted to do.

He wanted to blow her mind, for the first time in his life he wanted another person for more than just one night and _that actually blew his mind._

Daryl also knew he would slip up and spoil it if he contacted her, and he hoped she wouldn't be too upset, because he was planning to spend the rest of his life with her.

He wanted to make a grand statement about his feelings, because she was the one. When you knew, you knew and that was all there was to it.

As he drove, he turned on the radio and listened to her music all of the way there. He had made a playlist on his apple music called Carol's crazy grunge and it made him feel close to her when he listened to it. He listened to it a lot lately and now he was getting closer to her by the mile.

 _I woke up the same as any other day, except a voice was inside my head. It said seize the day, pull the trigger, drop the blade and watch the rolling heads._

He drove all day and more than a few times "The Day I Tried to Live" By Soundgarden played and he smiled, thinking about her. It wouldn't be long at all and he would be with her.

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Carol had remarked that he was missing in action today to Sophia around lunch time as they did the dishes from the French toast Carol made for all of them. Of course she didn't say anything about what they had done the night before, but she had called Lori and confessed when his usual good morning message didn't come at nine am for the first time in four months.

 _She felt so utterly stupid._

She was a woman with feelings after all and she was more than a little hurt by him not contacting her. She thought about him sleeping in, but it was way past anytime that he would still be asleep now, because she knew he didn't stay in bed all day.

Carol knew all these little things about him, his routines and yet she felt like she didn't know him at all right now. He always texted her good morning, except last night they had taken their relationship past the boundaries she had set forth and she was mad at herself for doing it.

Because now he had forgotten all about her and it hurt.

Maybe he realized that she was too old for him and was running for his life now.

"Maybe he's on Xbox, want me to check?" Sophia asked.

Carol shook her head, she was old fashioned and she wouldn't chase him, if he was going to ghost her after begging to meet than she didn't need him. He was just young and impetuous and she had let herself become caught up in it.

 _It had just been a mistake and she would never let it happen again._

It had been his voice that she fell in love with, as she knew she would and because of that she had been checking her Tumblr messages all day. It was radio silence all day long.

Lori came over around two to fetch Judith and they sat out on the deck drinking tea while the girls continued with Roswell. Their cries of injustice now that Tess was on the scene made Carol giggle even though she was starting to feel used. Still, her favorite show was there for the taking that night and she planned to bury herself in it later and forget she ever met him.

She would enjoy the day with her friend and take Sophia out to dinner that night and just move on, accept it as a lesson learned. At thirty-five she was still learning apparently, but it was going to be ok.

She lived before she met him and she would live again.

 _Then she realized, they never even actually met and she didn't know whether to laugh or cry over that._

"Carol, he doesn't sound like that kind of guy, seriously, if he was just after that, I doubt he would have waited four months to make a move, no one is _that shy_." Lori said, with her voice in a whisper. "So you had phone sex with him, big deal. Rick and I do it sometimes, it's exciting, as I'm sure you know now."

Carol giggled and rolled her eyes, she had never done that before and Lori's confession made her wonder if she was just a prude.

"Hey, we have to keep the fires burning right?" Lori laughed to her friend. "This isn't eighth grade; it doesn't mean now he's dropping you."

"But it was so stupid of me…he's twenty-seven Lori." Carol said. "He should be out chasing girls his own age anyway, this is for the best."

"One day of not hearing from him isn't the end, he'll probably contact you tonight." Lori said. "And if he does." She grinned. "Do it again."

"Come on Lori, have you listened to me at all, he's too far away and too young." Carol said.

"Bullshit, don't you ignore him when he contacts you." Lori said. "Don't you dare run and hide."

Carol shook her head. "I'm too old for him."

"Sounds like he doesn't think so." Lori said.

"Well right now, it doesn't sound like anything, smarty." Carol said to Lori.

"Whatever." Lori said. "I bet you a manicure that he calls you tonight."

"I doubt it." Carol replied.

333333333333333333333333333

Sophia rushed to the front door later that day and Carol was right behind her, pulling her purse over her shoulder. They were going out for their usual Sunday night dinner together. As she turned to get her keys off the hall table Carol almost bumped into Sophia who stood rooted in the front doorway.

"Um, Mom?" Sophia turned to her as she opened the door to let them out, and revealing what had Sophia so dumbfounded and unable to move. "I think I know why you haven't heard from Daryl today."

"What?" Carol joined her at the door and closed her eyes because she couldn't believe what she saw in front of her. There he stood, she would know him anywhere, even if she had only seen one picture of him ever. He was leaning against Tara's car holding a bouquet of pink tulip, her favorites. She smiled right away, a smile that went right up to her eyes and he had never seen anything more beautiful. Tara had been right; she was blown away by the gesture.

She just stood there looking at him and he made no move to come closer, he just took in the sight of her. Sophia looked from her mother's face to his face, the range of emotions she saw there took her breath away. There was something going on that was unmistakable.

Her father had never looked at her mother the way Daryl was looking at her right now. Her mother never looked so happy.

"Hey." Sophia called to him, because true love or not she was hungry. "You like pizza, right?"

 **Thanks for reading, please let me know what you think :)**


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N: Sorry this took so long. I promise more frequent updates to everything. Let me know which stories you want updated :) xxxxx Krissy**_

Carol walked down the stairs still in complete shock that he was standing there in her driveway. He pushed himself off the car and walked towards her with the flowers in his hand. He was just as she imagined him, lean and strong and so handsome.

Carol just couldn't believe he had driven all this way to meet her. She had thought he was dumping her, now that he got what he wanted. Nothing was farther than the truth.

She stopped at the beginning of the driveway and he met her there, his eyes were soft and full of questions. Carol knew it too, she could see them forming there and she imagined he could see the questions in her own eyes.

"We were just going for pizza." She said as he reached her and held out the flowers to her. "Do you want to go?"

He nodded. "This alright?"

"More than alright." Carol answered and he handed her the flowers. This might be the most romantic thing that had ever happened to her, while other women might be creeped out by this, _she knew him. She knew his heart. He was safe, he was good and he was good for her._

"You like tulips, right?"

She nodded her head and a feeling came over her that was overwhelming. He was the one, she didn't know how she knew, but she did. "I love them."

Daryl smiled at her. "I know it was impulsive, but I am on spring break this week."

"And you choose Syracuse?"

He shook his head. "Nah, I choose you."

/

Later that night they sat out on Carol's porch with Sophia talking about Georgia and videogames. They had gone out for pizza and the three of them never stopped talking the entire time. Daryl had gotten a hotel room in town, which was nearby the pizza place. So they stopped thereafter to pick up the video game he had brought for Sophia.

He hadn't wanted to bring it when he went to her house, in case Carol had reacted differently to his impulsive trip north.

Sophia had started a new game called 'Life is Strange,' it was a choice and consequence game and she loved telling Daryl all about it. He shared his enthusiasm for games and Sophia was beyond thrilled to talk to him. It was interesting to Carol, how he could talk about the games with Sophia, and so many other things with Carol.

The had a mutual love of good music and books. They could talk about poetry and every other thing it seemed.

Around midnight Sophia said good night and went to bed, kissing her mother on her way out and waving to Daryl and extracting a promise that he would come over for breakfast the next morning. Then they were going to the movies, the three of them. Daryl and Sophia both loved their popcorn with extra butter and extra salt.

After she went inside Carol and Daryl sat opposite each other on her porch with a pitcher of iced tea between them.

"I hope you don't think I'm some impetuous kid for doing this."

"Daryl, I am thrilled that you're here." She replied not breaking eye contact with him. _She wished she was the kind of woman who would take him into her house tonight and into her bed. But she couldn't, there was too much she had to work out in her own head first._

"Tara put me up to it, said I should show up with tulips and that chocolate licorice you like so much." He said earnestly. "But I couldn't find any licorice. I'll look around town tomorrow."

"It's ok, I'm just…"

"I know; I can't believe we're together either." He leaned closer to her.

"I'll have to call your sister and thank her for this." She reached for his hands. "Come sit by me."

He got up and sat next to her.

"Daryl, we took a step the other night, and I …"

"You're sorry?" He looked up at her through his bangs. His eyes were soft with longing and it was impossible to hide it. He had just driven sixteen plus hours to see her; it was clear how he felt.

She shook her head. "No, I hope that...I hope that there will be more." She giggled like a young girl, he made her feel like a young girl again. "And we can see how we feel before you leave?"

He nodded. "Can I kiss you?"

Carol nodded and he slid his arm around her, he pressed his lips against hers softly. She leaned into him and turned towards him as he deepened the kiss and before she knew what she was doing she was climbing on his lap.

So much for working it out in her head.

He let out a moan, like the one on the phone with her the other night as she settled herself onto his lap. Daryl really hoped he didn't embarrass himself tonight, but she felt so good, in his arms and against his body. He hadn't been with anyone in a long time.

He couldn't help it; he had dreamed of this moment. She was finally in his arms, he never thought it would ever happen, and he wouldn't squander it. He slid his lips against hers and ran his hands up her back softly and she sighed a long, sweet sigh that went right through his heart.

Daryl had never felt like this before. He had always been the guy who fell in love with the teacher or the older babysitter. He didn't really understand it when he was younger. Girls his age just didn't do it for him, they never did.

This woman did it for him, like none other.

The feel of her small hands going over his shoulders and into his hair was making goose bumps break out all along his spine.

Then he felt her tongue against his lips and he pulled her close to his chest and kissed her with everything he had inside of him.

Then she laid her head on his shoulder and whispered softly into his ear. "Tomorrow night, Sophia has a sleep over with the girl scouts. Will you come stay overnight with me?"


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: So sorry this took so long, hope that you all like it. xoxoxoxoxoKrissy**

True to his word, Daryl was at their house the next day for breakfast at nine am as she had told him. Carol had music playing in the den of course and he and Sophia sat at the kitchen table while Carol was cooking breakfast.

His mind was on everything but breakfast as he watched her though, she had just about blown his mind when she asked him to spend the night. Sophia was chattering on about her game "Life is Strange' and had already extracted a promise from him to play with her later that day.

Still his mind was not on the game right now, it was on her, unusual for him. He loved his games, but they were just games, he knew that he loved her completely and his life was about to change.

The whole drive to her house he had been worried that he was making a mistake and that it would scare her off. She had made it perfectly clear that she wasn't scared off, right from the jump.

Daryl listened to the music that was playing and he realized he was getting used to her genre now, he actually preferred it. She had put on 'Nirvana' and he found himself singing along.

 _Think I'm just happy._

"I have a seminar in Savannah next month." She said not looking away from the pan she was cooking pancakes in, but Daryl's ears were on high alert.

"Will you come see me?" He asked and he didn't know where that was coming from. He was normally so shy, but she was breaking him out of his shell.

"If you want me to…"

Sophia piped right up, like only a teenager could. "Oh for God's sake Mom, of course he'll want to see you."

"I do." He replied. "I can meet you there, just tell me when and where."

"Ok." She smiled to herself, at least that was out of the way. She had wondered if she should tell him, and frankly if he hadn't turned up on her doorstep last night she had decided to ask to see him. He wasn't like other men his age.

It was trite but true, he had taken a chance on her and she wanted to take a chance on him too.

Breakfast passed with good food and good conversation and after Daryl went in the living room with Sophia and helped her help Max Caufield try to rewind time to save her friends. Carol sat and read a book while they played and she was struck by how good it felt.

It felt so normal, in a way that she never felt with Ed.

She had wanted to meet him for a long time, that was clear to her now. Seeing him in person had changed how she felt and took away her fear.

Sophia went on the sleepover at one o'clock and Carol and Daryl went to the movies. They sat together watching the movie and holding hands. They had talked about going to the movies together once and it just felt like the thing to do.

By the end of the movie they had eaten their weight in popcorn and decided to go back to her house. They sat facing each other in the living room and as the sun went down all of the worry that remained in her mind melted away. He had called Tara and let her know everything was ok and he could hear in her voice how happy she was for him.

He was going to give her a big fat kiss when he got home.

Carol had put on some soft music, it was 'Wishlist' by Pearl Jam and he knew the song.

 _I wish I was the pedal brake that you depended on. I wish I was the verb to trust and never let you down._

They sat there on her couch staring at each other for a beat and then at the same time they were leaning closer and closer until their lips met.

It was everything each of them thought it would be, Christmas day, your birthday and the Fourth of July all in one, fireworks.

Before she knew it Carol was on her back and he was hovering on top of her. He looked down at her and she smiled up at him.

"This ok?" He asked pushing a lock of her hair out of her face, and she nodded. Then he kissed her again and again and she was under his spell.

This was a moment he had dreamed about and he was caught up in it immediately, caught up in _her._

Carol was everything he thought she would be, soft and warm, so beautiful and the way she made him feel was unlike any other woman before her.

She pulled him closer and let her legs fall open and he swore he had died and gone to heaven and he couldn't suppress the moan that tore from his lips. Girls his age didn't do it for him at all, but she did and as he captured her mouth with his and devoured it, he hoped this would be for the long run.

Daryl knew it would be a challenge, with them living so far away from each other, but her was willing to give it his very best shot. Women like her weren't easy to find. He had looked plenty and the attraction he felt for her was the once in a lifetime kind. He knew it when he felt it.

They kissed for a long time and ran their hands over each other's bodies with that wonderful anticipation of new found love. Every touch and every sigh was brand new and exciting and they were in no hurry. Carol could feel him against her and he was hard as a rock, if the past two nights didn't convince her that she wanted him, that did.

She had a feeling he had way more to offer in that department than her ex did, and she had not been with many men at all.

This was going to be good, she just knew it.

Carol thought about the age difference again for exactly two seconds and then his lips were on her neck, hot and wet. The trail from his mouth on her skin gave her chills and then he blew hot air across where he had been sucking at her collar bone, she arched her back and let her hand fall off the couch in surrender.

There wasn't anything she wouldn't give him if he asked for it.

So what if he was younger, he had the most amazing hands and they were working their way under her shirt at that very moment. Carol could feel it rising inside of her, a burning fire that was going to be out of control soon, and she would give herself over to it. She wanted it and was prepared to chase it until she got it.

Carol wrapped her legs around his waist wantonly and didn't give fuck all what it seemed like. She needed to feel more and more of him and she couldn't get close enough. Her hands were clawing at his back and she was pulling him against her right where she wanted him.

It had been so long since she felt this way, since she had been close to a man because she wanted to be

He was grinding his hips against her and his hand had found her breast, then suddenly as she looked up at the ceiling she saw stars and let out a cry of pleasure that almost made him fall off the couch.

Daryl stopped what he was doing and looked down at her flushed face after a minute as the clock in the hallway chimed, he could not believe what just happened. "Did you just…?" He whispered in the darkening room, and she nodded.

"Yeah…" She replied softly and he pulled her close to him.

"I love you." He whispered against her hair and breathed her in. She was the one and he knew when this week was over he was going to ask her to marry him.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Sorry this took so long to update. Life, ya know and I was finishing Daryl and Juliet. This is the next of my WIPs that I am going to finish. Then Lips pf an Angel, Thirty Three, and The names Have Been Changed. Also I am going to add to Sometimes Love is Enough because that's got more of a story I think. Thank you to every one who reads and lets me know how I'm doing with these stories. I appreciate it. xxxxx Krissy**_

They barely made it into her bedroom and as soon as they did he had her up against the wall, with his hands on either side of her head. He grinned down at her and kissed her again softly. He was already addicted to her kisses and her sweet soft mouth.

When he kissed her it felt like the world was tilting and he'd lost his footing, this was love. This was what everyone was talking about. At the age of twenty-eight he had never felt this way before. He spent his time playing video games and going online, never feeling connected to anyone but his brother and sister.

How was he ever going to go back to Georgia? In two days he had fallen hopelessly in love, but he had been half in love with her all along. That was the thing about it, from the first time they talked online he had been intrigued, then smitten. And now she was in his arms, he just couldn't believe it.

He was unable to comprehend how responsive she was to him and how she made no secret that she wanted him. It made his blood boil, like none other before her and he wanted her desperately.

"Are you sure Carol?" He asked carefully, looking into her eyes. _Please, be sure, please be sure._

"Very." She said looking up at him and taking ahold of the collar of his shirt. "I want you in my bed and much later, for a real shower together."

Carol grabbed at his shirt and pulled it over his head and then went to work on his belt buckle. His hands were all over her and she didn't remember ever feeling that way before. Certainly not with Ed, and the few dates she had been out on since the divorce had not gotten this far.

She hadn't been interested with any of those guys, not that there were that many.

Since the other night, and maybe even before that she had known they would eventually end up here, but she hadn't known it would be so soon. But it didn't matter, he was here and she was not going to hide how happy that made her.

There was no need to play games and this wasn't high school. Carol knew what she wanted and she meant to get it.

Daryl's hands snaked up under her shirt and then he was lifting it off of her and over her head. Revealing her slowly and taking her all in, admiring her body and he couldn't contain his feelings.

"It's like it's my birthday or something." He said, kissing her softly and she smiled. "And you are the best present I've ever gotten."

He gazed at her, with only the light of the moon coming in through the two windows in the room, she glowed. Her eyes were beautiful, crystal clear blue and he was lost in them already. She was so beautiful and she could be his girl, they could figure it out.

The music played on in the living room, it was a song she had told him about months ago. He remembered it well 'Sirens' by Pearl Jam.

 _"_ _Hear the sirens, hear the circus so profound. I hear the sirens, more and more in this here town._

"Who says that you aren't my present?" She said, reaching for his buckle again. "It can be both our birthdays."

She put her forehead to his and reached down to unzip his pants and pulled him slowly towards the bed. Their eyes never left each other as they sat down and then moved up the bed further. Soon they were a tangle of limbs as they struggled to rid each other of the rest of their clothes.

"Any guy who can make me cum with my clothes on…" She said as he leaned down to kiss her. "Well, let's just say you're a keeper."

"Just wait till you see what I can do now that they're off." He said into the side of her neck and he surprised her by raking his teeth over her skin. His mouth was hot and wet and she groaned out loud as his fingers found her right breast.

She arched her back as he brought his fingers over her nipple, and sucked on her neck at the same time. Slowly he worked his way down her neck until she was digging her feet into the mattress. She could feel his dick against her leg and she wanted him closer.

She could feel him humming against her skin, his lips singing that song. Y _ou know there aint no rest for the wicked and money don't grow on trees…_

Daryl's hot mouth was all over her and everywhere it went, it left a tingling feeling that she had never quite had before with another man. She had promised herself, after her disastrous marriage, that she was going to enjoy sex.

Before Ed she had a few lovers and she wasn't inexperienced, he had killed that fire in her through the years but it was back. She missed having fun in bed with a man.

It seemed like Daryl picked up on that, because he was seriously working some magic with his hands and mouth.

Ed had been inept and he had called her frigid, clearly that was not the case. She had known that already anyway somewhere deep inside of her, but now she was sure. Daryl's lips traveled down her body towards her stomach.

He was going to be a good time; she just knew it.

Daryl looked up at her as he swirled his tongue around her belly button, his eyes playful and bright. Her heart started beating out of her chest at the thought of what he meant to do. He raised his eyebrows at her and she sucked in her breath.

Carol watched as he dipped his head down between her legs, he licked her inner thigh and blew hot air where he had licked and she shuddered. Daryl brought his hands down and spread her legs wider and gazed up at her.

"Beautiful." He said to her, his voice hot and smoky, and not hiding his desire for her. "I can't wait another minute to taste you…"

Then his lips were on her and she cried out. "Oh God Daryl." Bringing her hands down into his hair, she bunched them and pulled before she realized what she had done.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"Don't be." He said with a grin. "I like it, feels good."

Then he dipped his head back down, pulling her legs forward towards his face. She was so wet and he wanted all of her, all over him.

"Come're." He grinned at her as she let her knees fall open and against the mattress. He licked her with the flat of his tongue and she trembled. Daryl brought his hands up to still her and he continued swirling his tongue over her.

He wanted her to cum again and he wasn't stopping until she let it go, her moans drove him on to devour her, like the most delicious desert.

Carol's head moved from side to side and she couldn't stop the sounds that were coming from her lips. His name tumbled from her lips as her hands raked through his hair, but he wanted more, so much more.

Daryl felt her legs start to tremble again and he knew she was close. He smiled to himself against her and rested the side of his head against her thigh, she was like a dream. Then he brought his fingers down from where they were and slid one and then another inside of her.

Carol sucked in her breath and gripped the sheets on the bed in her hands as the waves of her orgasm crashed over her. It was stronger than before, because he had been expecting it this time and kept swirling his tongue over her clit until she couldn't take anymore. The she was pulling him up to her.

She came up on her knees and pulled him up and their eyes briefly met before he laid down on his back and pulled her on top of him. She slid down on his dick with a gasp and he groaned out loud as his hands came around her waist.

"Ah, fuck Carol." His eyes closed, but he quickly opened them to look at her. She was so beautiful riding him and the way she felt all around him. Her body was warm and tight and everything he had been dreaming of for months.

This woman was it for him, every curve of her body and every freckle on her skin captivated him. The way her hair shined in the moonlight as he gazed up at her, was almost too much for him. She sat there a second and they make complete eye contact, it was almost too much.

Then she moved her hips, slow at first and then faster and he matched her thrust for thrust. He would never have enough of her, as he looked up at her he knew she was a once in a life time woman. Carol leaned down and kissed him and she squeezed her thighs together.

It was too much for him and he let go, never taking his eyes from her even as a string of curses came bursting through his lips and she collapsed on top of him.


	11. Chapter 11

Daryl opened one eye as the sun streamed in the window, it was early, but he felt well rested. He had slept like the dead, once they had finally gone to sleep and it had only been a few hours ago. Still, he felt great even after just a few hours of sleep. Better than he had felt in a long time and it was because of her. He reached for his phone quietly and Tara had texted him. A simple thumbs up and a smiley emoji, he quickly texted her back and laid back down on the pillow.

Beside him Carol was still asleep on her stomach, her hair all over her pillow like a brilliant red crown. He sat up slightly and looked at her, listened to her breathing. He couldn't take his eyes off of her and he would have been happy to just sit there and admire her all day. The sun was shining and hitting her hair and face just right, making her look like an angel.

She looked spectacular, and his thoughts went immediately to the night before. It was the best night of his life, no doubt about that. Despite all his bravado, this was all new to him. The feelings part, the looking at her and smiling because he loved her part. It was all so new. The physical part was never a problem for him, he'd had a little experience with that, minus the feelings.

Sex had always been just sex and it had never brought feelings before.

He had been with exactly three women in his life. One was essentially a fuck buddy when he was in high school, but Sandy had done him the favor of always letting him know what did and didn't feel good, and he did the same for her. That was a gift because so many men and women had no idea what another person liked. They had been really honest and open with each other.

He remembered things and was observant and it had paid off big time last night.

Daryl and Sandy never loved each other and basically used each other as sexual Guinea pigs, but it worked for a while and he learned his way around a woman's body. But Sandy went away to college, when he was a senior in high school and that was the end of that. Eventually she stopped coming home for visits and she later married a boy that she met at school in North Carolina.

Even then he liked older women. She had been two years ahead of him in school and lived next door to him all of their lives. He was pretty sure she had slept with Tara a time or two during the years as well. Sandy had mentioned it to him, more than once that she liked girls too and she and Tara had been friendly. He never asked and really it didn't matter to him one bit.

Merle was way too old to look at Sandy, but he did, even though for him she was underage. He was well aware of what was going on with them, he didn't approve, but then Daryl had never asked for his opinion. So he kept it to himself.

Sandy had kept in touch once she was married and settled.

They talked occasionally on twitter, and he thought of her as a friend for sure. Once she and her husband had been back in town for a wedding or something and he had met them for a beer. It was a good night and it hadn't been awkward at all, Merle and Tara had been along too, and they had all gotten pretty lit. They spent hours talking about their child hood, the three of them. Her husband Don was a good guy and if he knew about him and Sandy he never said a thing. Just a night of reminiscing and stories about when they were all little kids together. Daryl was glad his friend was happy, and she was, her husband adored her.

Sandy would be happy to know about him and Carol, he would have to message her and let her know. She had been after him to open himself up to someone and now he did.

The other two times were drunken hookups, quick and unsatisfying. And now Carol. It was amazing with her, the kind of sex that made your dick ache just thinking about it.

Daryl knew what he liked and he had found it.

He had said 'I love you' to her but she hadn't said it back. He wondered if she had heard him say it, if she felt about him the way he felt about her.

He had driven 16 hours to get to her; he had never driven 20 minutes for a woman before. As he watched her, he was struck by the knowledge that he had fallen in love with her, sight unseen. He had loved her for months and being with her now was something he had never thought would happen. He hoped she wouldn't regret this and that telling her he loved her didn't scare her away.

As is on cue she rolled over and smiled at him.

"Hey." She said sitting up and not bothering to cover up. He was treated with an eyeful of her gorgeous breasts. A guy could get used to this.

"Hey." He replied.

"Sleep ok?" She asked and he nodded. He was quiet, looking at her and Carol wondered if he was really ok, he had a funny look on his face.

Carol waited a beat and then leaned forward to kiss him softly. "Me too, best sleep I've had in a while."

Daryl laughed. "That's cause you're up all night talking to that looser on Tumblr usually."

"That guy is no looser, he's a great fuck." She said getting out of the bed and heading to the bathroom. She turned back and looked at him still sitting on the bed. "About that shower…"

He didn't need to be asked twice and he could ponder the nature of their relationship another time, right now there was a beautiful woman asking him to take a shower with him. Who was he to say no? Especially after the preview of a shower together a few nights ago, that had made him drive all the way to her in the first place.

Carol turned on the water and turned back to him. "You aren't a looser." She said to him. "And I love you desperately."

Then she held out her hand for him to take and they got in the shower. The water cascaded over both of them and he took he into his arms.

"This is so much better in person." She groaned against his neck and he pulled her closer.

"You don't gotta say it, just cause I did."

"I'm not." She looked up at him, bringing her hands up his back. "But it's complicated, you know?" _You're young enough to be one of my students practically._

"We'll work it out. You come visit me next month, then we'll be off the summer, before we know it." His enthusiasm warmed her heart, and she believed him, he had the ability to make her think all things were possible. _But if you were one of my students, I would never be here with you._

"You make it all sound so simple." She said, giving into the feeling of his arms around her. It was so nice to feel a man's arms around her in a good way. The last few years with Ed were a nightmare and it was a shame, he hadn't been a bad man at first, but he became one.

When Ed touched her at the end it was always to hurt her, and this man's gentle touch was welcome and wanted.

"It is simple." He said, pulling her from her unhappy memories and she watched him as he soaped up his hands and brought them over her shoulders. Carol moaned out loud at the feel of him kneading her skin, he knew just how to touch her that was for sure, and she wanted more and more. "We take it one day at a time, see each other as much as we can. Talk on the phone." He grinned as he whispered that part into her ear.

He was definitely a good time. A good time, but so much more than that too. She hadn't lied when she said she loved him. She did and even though her head wondered how they could work this out, her heart knew they would.


	12. Chapter 12

**_A/n: This is for my buddy RamblesandShambles who I think felt short changed by the lack of real shower sex, after the whole cellphone speaker shower sex thing from a few chapters ago. Hope you like it love. That was her Idea by the way, she has one creative mind and I encourage everyone to read her stuff._**

They ended up back in bed after the shower and Carol couldn't remember the last time she had a weekend like this. They planned nothing and just took the day as it came. Sophia wasn't due back until eight that night and they had the whole day to lay around and do nothing, watch TV and make love. That was the plan and it was so new to both of them.

They hadn't known what they had been missing all this time.

But once you got a taste of what life could be like, it was hard to think about not having it.

Every touch lit her blood on fire and every sigh made him want more and more of her. The shower took longer than expected and they had almost run out of hot water. Daryl pulled her close to him and kissed her softly as she leaned back against the tiles.

Carol closed her eyes and let herself feel his kiss as his hands traveled over her body. His hands were slippery and strong and she moaned out loud, and Daryl grinned at that. Then he began kissing down her neck as the water washed over them. She wasn't quiet about how it felt.

She made him feel like a rock star.

Then he brought his lips up to her ear and quickly whispered. "In the shower, for real this time." As he captured her earlobe between his teeth. Then in one quick motion he had her off her feet and her legs wrapped around his waist. He finished his way with the kisses and licks down her neck to her chest and she shivered in anticipation, because now she knew what it was like with him.

Carol dug her fingers into his hair as his tongue found its way to her nipple, swirling little wet circles until she was panting and moaning. He pulled her closer, spreading her legs wider and she hooked them at her ankles behind his back.

"Oh my God." She cried, arching her back and pushing against him and he grinned as he sucked on her nipple and brought his other hand over the other one.

"Just call me Daryl, that's fine." He laughed at his own joke and she just dug her hands into his hair more. He continued his devilish work pulling more and more sounds out of her. He held her up against the wall and kept at her, not letting her move. He knew it was possible for a woman to cum from breast stimulation, he'd done it before and the way she was writhing and squirming told him she might.

Carol also had cum from pressing against his dick on the couch the night before, so he was going to try this. She was responsive to him, maybe more than anyone had been before and he reveled in it

Daryl was so grateful at the moment that he was so comfortable with a woman's body; he would have to send Sandy a post card.

Carol threw her head back and moved it back and forth on the tiles, she was totally lost to this man, this young man. His lips made her feel things that she had long forgotten and never thought she would ever have again.

She couldn't let him go, they had to figure this out.

Her hips moved against him and she felt the congestion in her pelvis as the blood rushed there making her ache for more.

She could feel it building and building, she pressed herself against him trying to get some relief from the burning fire inside of her.

"You ok?" He asked, not stopping what he was doing.

"Yes." She gasped out. "Don't stop, don't stop."

"I won't, I wanna feel it." He moaned against her skin looking up at her.

"Do it." She gasped. "Yes."

Carol moved her hips against him and he brought his throbbing dick to her entrance. He teased her with it mercilessly until she was almost there, then he pushed inside of her. They both groaned out loud and Carol came immediately. She pulled him against her and screamed so loud it echoed off the walls of the shower.

He felt it, every delightful contraction of her body against his and around him. She shook violently as she came down from the wave, just as he was letting go.

"Oh goddammit." He pulled her closer to him as he emptied every bit of himself inside her and his own body shook just as hers had. He pulled her closer and held her against himself. The water flowed over both their bodies as they caught their breath and came back down to earth.

He was struck with the thought that he really loved her, for the first time in his life at the age of 27 he was well and truly in love.

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Daryl had never had nor wanted someone to spend time with this way. It was new and it felt good. He sat back against the head board of her bed and held her against him. She sat between his legs with her back to him and they watched mindless shows and talked to each other the rest of the day.

He told her about the little town he was from and about his family. She told him more about her life and the reasons why she was so skittish. He was just as skittish, because his life hadn't been easy either and he told her all about it.

Daryl never talked about the abuse he and Merle had suffered, their parents were long gone and they had done the best they could to rebuild their lives with Tara. It was over and he didn't care to dwell on it. Merle felt the same way and even though at one time Daryl though he was damaged by it. His reclusive lifestyle and the video games worried him sometimes, but this woman made him realize he wasn't broken. He could love another person and rebuild his life. It was going well, and the three of them were happy, just as Carol and Sophia were.

Both of them had been mistreated by people that were supposed to love them, but they had found something special and worthwhile with each other.

Much after the fact they spoke about birth control and their pasts with respect to lovers and health. Unfortunately, this was necessary in these times, where it wasn't long ago. Both of them agreed that they had to be more careful in the future, Carol wasn't on the pill and Daryl felt like a jerk if he showed up with a pocket full of condoms, although Merle had told him to buy some on his way north. He didn't. But he was going to later that day.

They had each slept with three people and Carol had been in love with all of them, Daryl, with none of them, until her.

Carol's phone chirped as they laid in bed watching TV. She grabbed the phone in case it was Sophia, but it wasn't.

~ I see that car at your house since Thursday. Is that your man?

Carol quickly typed back to Lori.

~Yes, Daryl is here for a few days.

~Bring him over for dinner.

Carol showed the text to him and he nodded.

"They're my neighbors, are you sure you don't mind?" Carol asked.

~ Come on Rick and I are dying to meet this guy.

"I don't mind." Daryl said.

"You may regret that." She laughed and sent a message back to Lori asking what time they wanted her and Daryl to come over.


	13. Chapter 13

The scout leader, Andrea had called while they were taking their second shower of the day to get ready for dinner with her friends. That one was shorter than the one in the morning but just as sweet. They held each other and talked softly as the water slid over their bodies. They made plans and talked about their dreams for a future together.

It was all so fast but as they held each other and their hearts beat in rhythm with each other, there was no doubt they belonged together. Carol no longer felt hung up over the age difference, even though he was just thirteen years older than Sophia.

He was the one for her and to think they never would have met had it not been for the internet. Carol who had no use for the internet this time last year was thanking sweet Jesus for it now.

According to the message the scouts were running late getting home from the trip and Andrea would drop Sophia and Judith off at Lori's. They would all have dinner together and later; Daryl was going back to his hotel room for the night. The next day they were going to a few museums with Sophia, Judith and Carl, and out to dinner.

Rick was working, so Lori was going with them too, they all wouldn't fit in Christine, and would take two cars. It was going to be a great week.

The three of them being on spring break was great, it gave them a lot of time together with and without Sophia, who had plans with her friends that would take her out of the house a few nights that week.

Carol made a quick fruit salad to bring and Daryl stood on the other side of her kitchen island talking to her as she cut the fruit. He watched her, fresh out of the shower with her hair still damp and curly. She was beautiful. There was soft music playing in the back ground. 'Soundgarden' and he wasn't surprised, "Blow up the Outside World."

 _I've given everything I need. I'd give you everything I own. I'd give in if it could at least be ours alone. I've given everything I could, to blow it to hell and gone._

"What are you looking at." She said with a shy grin on her face.

"You." He smiled at her, taking a seat at the island. "When is your conference next month?"

"The 15th through the 18th." Carol said as she scooped fruit into the bowel she had next to her.

"Will you be free at night? I really want you to meet my sister and brother." He asked, hoping he wasn't being to forward, but wanting her to know that he was in this for the long haul.

"Every day after two pm." She answered. "How far are you from Savannah?"

"Not too far, about an hour. I'll make sure I'm off those days."

"Oh!" Carol's face lit up. "You can stay with me those days? Do you want to?"

"Do you want me too." Daryl asked as he looked at her hopefully.

Carol stopped scooping strawberries and walked around to the other side of the island where he was sitting. She stood in front of him and put her hands on his shoulders.

"I want you to." She purred into his ear. "I'm going to miss you when you leave."

"Maybe I shouldn't leave."

"Oh no you don't, you have finals…"

"Yes ma'me." He said laughing.

Carol rolled her eyes. "Don't call me that." She laughed as he pulled her closer so that she was between his legs.

'What should I call you…" He grinned at her. "Miss Carol…or bad teacher?"

Carol rolled her eyes at him again as his lips grazed her neck. "Oh don't start that or we'll never make it to Lori's."

"I can be quick." He murmured against her collar bone. "Hop up on the counter like a good girl."

She smiled and shook her head, but he was already running his hands up the back of the dress she wore.

"You're crazy." She said as his hands squeezed her ass under the dress.

"You don't even have to take anything off, its perfect." He crooned into her ear.

"Daryl." She half moaned while he sucked on her collar bone. "We'll be late."

"We got fifteen minutes and its just next door…" He licked around her ear. "I can get it done." He blew on her ear softly.

"Daryl."

"Fourteen minutes." He kissed her neck hot and wet and she allowed him to pick her up and sit her on the island.

He made quick work of it as promised and pushed her dress up around her waist. Her hands went to his belt buckle and swiftly opened it. He stopped and gazed at her, touching her lower lip with his thumb and dragging it down to her chin.

"I love you." He said kissing her again, he was the dirtiest kisser she'd ever had. It was comical the way that she had thought he was inexperienced when they first started talking. He had been shy, yes, extremely so, but he kissed like he fucked, dirty and she couldn't resist either. "Say you're mine."

He gazed at her and his hands slid up her thighs stopping just short of where she wanted him. Her disappointment was obvious but she didn't take her eyes from his. She enjoyed the game and something told her he would always surprise her.

"Say it." He said as his fingers slid over the outside of her panties and she started to tremble.

"I'm yours, of course I'm yours." She squeaked out and then he was down on his knees and pulling her panties off. She watched as he shoved them in the back pocket of his jeans with wide eyes. "Wait." She said and he just shook his head with a grin.

Then his lips and tongue were on her and she forgot all about anything but him. He pulled her legs over his shoulders and licked her furiously until she was desperate to cum. He stopped twice, edging her when she was almost there and she dug her hands into his hair pulling his face against her, letting him know she wanted it.

Daryl rested his palms on the inside of her thighs and went in for the kill shot and she exploded in a mass of screams and trembling. It seemed to last forever and she was conscious of him saying "six minutes" and then he was inside of her.

"Say it again." He pushed against her and she wrapped her legs around his waist. She waited and he pushed harder against her and harder until they were both struggling for breath.

"Yours." She gasped out.

"Mine." He moaned and gripped her legs as he let go and exploded inside of her, with his face buried in the crook of her neck.

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Reluctantly he gave her back her panties and she slipped them back on. They weren't late to the Grimes' barbeque and when Andrea and the girls got there they all sat around outside at the picnic tables eating and talking. They had a few other guests and the mix of people was just right, for the first time in a long time Daryl felt comfortable with strangers.

Rick liked Daryl right from the start and they talked easily about their jobs and interests that were common. Lori and Carol cleared the table, while Andrea was deep in conversation with Shane, Rick's partner. Once they were in the kitchen Lori turned to Carol.

"I like him." She said with a grin. "He's adorable and you are glowing."

Carol made a face. "Am I?"

"Yeah, whatever that guy has it agrees with you." Lori laughed.

"It isn't just that, he has such a kind heart and he makes me laugh." Carol explained.

"You love him." Lori said softly.

Carol nodded.

"He lives in Georgia."

"Ironic isn't it?" Carol mused.

"Hey." Lori said as they started to walk back outside. "True love conquers all, it's meant to be. I can feel it."


	14. Chapter 14

Hi everyone,

This is a shoutout to the sweet Rosered123 who every once in a while asks me to update this story. I love you! Just when I think no one is reading my stuff, and it's all just for nothing you send me a message. I wish you would log in so I could PM you and tell you how much I appreciate your kind words.

I actually have a chapter almost done, as I am really trying to update my WIPs, especially this one and Daryl's Game cause I get a lot of requests on those two stories especially. But life has gotten in the way quite a bit, however there is relief in sight.

Thank you Rosered for making my day, I'll have a chapter for you with in the week xxoxoxoxoxoxox

Krissy


	15. Chapter 15

_**This chapter and well, the entire story is dedicated to my sweet Rosered123, who never lets me forget that she's reading and waiting for updates. It's so important to a writer to know people are enjoying what they put out there and she never fails to do that. I love you and I'm going to finish all of my unfinished Caryl stories for you. xxxxx Krissy**_

Soon it was Daryl, Carol Lori, Maggie, Glenn and Rick at the table and everyone else had gone home. The three kids were inside watching "Buffy" on Netflix, and the adults were enjoying each other's company. Lori and Rick liked Daryl a lot and insisted on the four of them going out before he went back to Georgia.

Daryl had four days left before he had to head home and he already wished it was winter break; that was a month long. Summer break couldn't come fast enough for him this year.

It was going to be hard to leave Carol, to leave them. He had established a relationship with Sophia in just a few days, and Daryl felt like she liked him. He was like her in many ways, and that made a big difference, kids were a crap shoot, and he planned to be around for a while. So getting along with Sophia was paramount to him.

They had talked more about the next month when she would be in Georgia; Sophia would stay with Lori for four days so that Carol could go to the conference. They were going to miss each other until then, but it was something, and it would just have to be good enough.

Before they knew it, midnight had come and gone, and the three teenagers and three little Rhee kids were passed out on the Grimes floor. Daryl had not let go of her hand the entire time, he loved touching her, and couldn't get enough of her.

Lori was pleased by the way Daryl was treating Carol; she watched all night how he couldn't take his eyes off of her and hung on every word she said. He was adorable, always touching her, and it reminded her of her and Rick when they were first together.

Daryl and Rick formed a bond over cars and talked about doing repairs on Rick baby, a 1965 Ford Mustang the next time Daryl was in town. Glenn would help too, and Carol smiled at the two new friendships he made. She was so utterly happy.

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As Carol and Maggie helped Lori clear the dishes, Maggie turned to her friend and smiled. "He's great."

"I know." Carol mused. "I just wish he was older…"

"Oh for crying out loud, who cares," Lori said turning on the water to do the dishes. "He adores you, that's so plain to see, and you adore him."

"I do." She smiled taking the wet dishes from her friend and drying them.

"I bet he rocks in the sack," Lori whispered.

"Lori!" Carol hissed, and then they both started laughing. "He does."

"So who cares if he's younger." Maggie laughed.

"But it's almost ten years."

"He doesn't look like he cares." Lori pointed out the window at Daryl and Rick on the deck talking and laughing. "After what you went through with that loser of an ex, you deserve this; you deserve to be happy."

Lori looked over at the kids all asleep on the couches in their family room and then turned to Carol.

"Let her stay tonight, that way you can take him for another spin," Lori said with a wink.

"You're horrible." Carol laughed and then she smiled slyly. "Thank you."

The three women laughed so hard that the men heard them and Rick quirked and eyebrow at Lori through the kitchen window, and she just grinned back.

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The girls joined the men back out on the deck for one last drink and then Daryl and Carol went back to her house, across the street. They waved to Maggie and Glenn as they carried their sleeping children inside their house next door to Carol's.

"Are you sure they don't mind?" Daryl asked, looking back at the Grimes home.

"We do this all the time, Sophia and Judith go back and forth, from house to house all weekend long almost every weekend." She said turning on the lights. "They like you, and I think they want to make sure you come back."

"Oh." He smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'll be back."

Carol smiled, and he saw a little blush creep over her skin. "Good."

"I like your friends; I'm glad you have them." He said following her down the hall towards her bedroom. "I can't wait for you to meet my brother and sister."

"Me either," Carol replied, and it surprised her that she was thinking of a future with someone when she had been sure she'd be alone forever.

"I got a couple of friends for you to meet too, it's going to be a busy four days." Daryl sighed as she went into the bathroom and turned on the water in the bathtub.

"Join me?" Carol said as she looked over at him, and he was already unbuckling his pants.

"You don't got to ask me twice." He grinned coming closer to her. "Ever do it in a bathtub?"

She shook her head.

"Me either." He said, taking his shirt off.

Carol stepped in the tub after she had shed her clothes and Daryl joined her, taking a seat across from her.

"You're too far away," Carol said.

"Just 17 hours," Daryl replied with a funny look on his face, was she having second thoughts?

"No," Carol laughed, "I mean, why are you sitting all the way over there?"

He didn't hesitate to reply, "So I can look at you."

Carol blushed and looked down, then back up at him.

"You are beautiful," Daryl murmured.

Carol smiled at him, and they were silent for a beat," But…"

"Don't say it; I know what you're thinking," He said, "I know someone did a number on you," He took her foot in his hands and rubbed it, "But if you could see yourself through my eyes."

"Someday I'll be fifty, and you'll be forty," Carol interrupted.

"Then I'll push your walker for you and make sure you eat enough fiber; this is it for me, I ain't going…"

They were interrupted by the shrill ring of his phone, it was Tara's ringtone, "Look at little Sister" by Stevie Ray Vahn. Daryl reached into his jeans that were beside the bathtub and swiped the phone to answer.

"You're on speaker sis, keep it clean," Daryl said winking at Carol.

"Heyyyyy," Tara said, "Are you with Carol?"

Carol covered her head and giggled, "Hi Tara,"

"Hey, Carol how are you" Tara replied.

"I'm fine thanks, Tara, how are you?"

"Great, is my brother behaving himself?" Tara asked and Carol smiled at him.

"Tar," Daryl interrupted, "Are you checking up on me?"

"No, no just checking Merle said you need to remember to add water to the radiator before you start for home."

"Yeah," Daryl said, "He texted me already about that, you're just a creeper aren't you?" He laughed.

"Guilty, everything ok there," Tara replied.

"Yes, little sister, and I'll talk to you later, ok?"

"Oh, you're busy," Tara laughed, as Daryl said goodbye to her and turned off the phone. Then he grinned at Carol a wolf's grin from the other side of the tub, and she knew it was on.


	16. Chapter 16

_**Just a short update, I am committed to finishing this story. There's a few more chapters and then I'm finishing Lips of an Angel, wish me luck it's exam time again. xxxxx Krissy**_

"Come here," He murmured to her in the darkness of the bathroom, and he pulled her to him so that her back was against his chest, "Nice huh?"

Carol nodded as she settled against him, Daryl's hands came around her waist and settled on her stomach in such a way that it was evident they weren't staying there for long. He made slow circles over her belly below the water as he whispered into her ear the words she wanted to hear so badly.

"I'll love you the rest of my life Carol, both of you, forever," Daryl murmured into her ear, and the only other sound she could hear was the dripping of the faucet.

"Do you want children of your own someday," She asked as she turned to look into his eyes.

"Let's talk about all that later," He said, bringing his face close to hers and kissing her as his hands snaked up to her breasts. Carol let out a moan as he deepened the kiss and slid his tongue into her mouth like they had been doing this all their lives, "Much later," And then he kissed her dirty until she was thoroughly seduced.

The thrill that shot through her from his kiss and his hands made her slide down as his lips found her neck and sucked on the tender skin there. Carol rested her head on his shoulder, and she melted into his touch, the way she always did.

They had just met a few days ago, and already she was thinking about what she had been missing all these years, how had she ever existed without this man in her life and she had found him on Tumblr of all things.

"Like I was saying before," Daryl began as his lips continued over her neck and his hands rubbed soapy and slippery water over her breasts, "I knew I loved you before we even met and you are the most beautiful woman I have ever known."

His skilled fingers found her nipples, and she moaned louder this time, completely enthralled and lost to him now.

"You make me weak Carol," He whispered into the shell of her ear, "I'm so weak for you, and I want you so much."

She could feel him, hard against her back and she tried to turn around and climb into his lap, but he stopped her.

"Not yet," He pulled her close against his chest and palmed her breasts eliciting another moan from her, which was his goal, "I love the way you respond to me, it makes me so fucking hard."

"Daryl, I can't…"

"Shhh," He brought his hands down over her stomach, "Spread your legs for me, sweetheart," He whispered hotly into her ear, and Carol obeyed. He didn't give her a choice because when she felt his fingers sliding between her legs, there was no denying his words and actions left her breathless.

Carol pressed against his hand as he pushed his finger inside of her and moaned into her ear. She could feel every hair on her body stand up in pleasure because of the things he was saying and the things he did to her body.

"Oh god damn," He groaned as he ran his fingers over her soft flesh, teasing her just a little and then back inside her, "You're so fucking wet, I love it…" His words trailed off as she scooted her ass against his dick.

"Mmmmmm," She moaned, pressing against him again as he brought his finger over her slippery lips to her clit.

"You want that," He asked, holding her close, so close that his face was by her ear. He readjusted again placing a hand on her stomach to keep her still and grinding his cock into her back.

"Yes," Carol panted as his fingers continued their sweet mission, "Daryl, I need…"

"You gotta cum first, then I'll fuck you if you wanna," He crooned as he kissed and nipped down her neck, never stopping the movement of his fingers that had her teetering on the edge of sweet oblivion, "I'll do whatever you want me to."

"Oh, God," She turned her head, and she felt his palm on her left breast, it was almost too much, the two sensations at one time.

"Cum for me, baby,"

"Oh, oh fuck, oh fuck, oh my god," She screamed out, and it echoed off the bathroom tile and made him grin as he watched her.

"Do it," Daryl moaned.

"Oh, oh ahh, oh fuck," Carol moaned, "Fuck."

"Come on baby,"

His words did her in like they always did, made her body tremble and shake like never before. Despite the hang up she had sometimes over their age difference, the way he made her feel far outweighed any guilt or restriction she might feel.

"Your beautiful when you cum," He said as he played with her hair, Carol turned and kissed him as she reached for the tub stopper and pulled it to drain the water.

"Stand up, " She said with a wink as she pulled herself up to sit on the edge of the tub. Daryl stood up and walked two steps towards her smiling.

"You know sixty percent of home accidents happen in the tub, don't you?"He said with the lopsided grin he got on his face often when he was with her.

Carol reached for him and pulled his waist close to her, "I'm willing to risk it."

Daryl moaned outloud when he felt her small hands around his erection and looked down at her with lust filled eyes, "You don't gotta."

"Oh," She cooed as she licked him from base to tip, "I want to."

"And people always ask why I'm into older women," Daryl groaned as he buried his hands in her soft hair.

/

Later they lay in bed together, Daryl had his arm around her and her face was lying on his chest.

"You always liked older women? Always?" Carol asked.

"Always," Daryl replied, "I had a crush on the lady next door for years and she was fifteen years older than me, baby sitters, Merle's classmates, teachers. It's always been that way."

"Did you mean it, what you said about …"

"Yes, and I never thought of having kids, none of us have, maybe Tara would she didn't get the shit Merle and I got from our parents. We looked out for her and took it so she didn't have to, But Merle and me? I don't see it happening."

"You're sure…" Carol said softly, "I don't want to stop you from…"

"Hey," He said as he rolled over so that he was on top of her and between her legs, "You're the one I want, I've known it a long time."

"Me too," She replied.

"I.." Daryl started then stopped, he didn't know how to say what was in his heart, "I gottta tell you something."

"Ok," She said as she turned to look at him, "Is it bad?"

Daryl shook his head and sat up, Carol followed and they sat oposite each other on the bed, "I want to marry you."

"Oh," Carol replied, she hadn't been expecting that.

"I know it's too soon, I'll ask you again a few years from now." He said and Carol smiled, "But I would do it tomorrow if you would say yes."


	17. Chapter 17

_**Thank you to everyone for taking the ride with me in this story. xoxoxox Love you Krissy**_

"Ask me anyway, even if it's too soon," Carol said to him at breakfast the next day and he looked at her for a beat. He knew what she was talking about and he wasn't going to blow this chance. Something changed her mind and he didn't care what it was, he was going to go for it.

"Will you marry me?" He said softly, "One day."

"Yes," Carol replied and her eyes were so bright with joy that it literally almost blinded him.

"What changed your mind? Cause I know you've been full of doubts this whole week?" He said, "My age, the distance, school? What changed your mind?"

She didn't hesitate to tell him what was on her mind. She knew, without a shadow of a doubt that they belonged together now.

"You're my best friend," Carol said, "Who wouldn't want to marry their best friend, I'm a lucky girl." It had been that simple, the words that Sophia had said the night before had made perfect sense to her.

"So we're going to do this?" Daryl asked cautiously, because life didn't always work out so good for him.

"Yeah, we are."

"It might not always be easy, not that I'm worried, I've been sure of you for a long time," Daryl said, making it clear that he wasn't afraid, "Being apart sometimes, it's gonna suck."

"I know that, but so worth it don't you think?"

He took her hand across the table and squeezed it. Together they could do anything, he had known that all along. Maybe it took Carol a little time to catch up to him but she was there now.

"You'll come meet my family next month?"

Carol nodded, "And maybe you can come here this summer, if you want to I mean?"

He laughed, "What did you think I was going to do this summer?" He said with a laugh and pulled her onto his lap, "You wont ever be sorry you took a chance on me Carol, I swear it."

/

Daryl went back to Georgia the next day to finish the semester at school and Carol went back to teaching. Sophia told all her friends at school about her mother's cool new boyfriend who held one of the highest top scores ever on "Left for Dead", to her it was simple and in the end it became very simple to Carol too.

The next month she went to visit Daryl and go to her conference, she met Merle and Tara then during that trip one night when they were all together, out for dinner, he gave her a ring. He'd had Sophia on face time during the whole thing and she already knew about it anyway when Daryl had called her and asked what she thought of the idea.

Sophia had told him that she had never seen her mother more happy in all her life, and that it was like they were made for each other, two halves to a whole. He'd sent her pictures of the rings he had been looking at and Sophia told him which one to buy.

For two years while he finished school they flew back and forth from NY to Georgia and he spent the summers with her, securing a job each summer at a local garage where Carol lived. The spring after that Carol and Sophia moved back to Georgia after Sophia graduated High School and on Labor Day weekend Carol and Daryl got married on the beach in Savannah with all of their friends there.

She was forty by that time and he was thirty one, it had taken four years and a lot of miles but they were finally together, a family with Sophia. Sometimes when they laid in bed together at night Carol thought about how she'd almost dismissed him as just an online friend.

If he had never decided to drive to Syracuse to surprise her, they might never had gone any further than chatting on Tumblr. It was a good thing he was such an impetious man, who once he found what he wanted wouldn't take no for an answer.

She looked over at his sleeping face and touched his cheek, "I love you," She whispered, then she wrapped her arms around him, closed her eyes and was soon asleep.

The end


End file.
